Weeford Quarry: Hydrogeological Assessment

Prepared for

Cemex UK Operation Ltd. Oldbury Warley West Midlands B694RJ

Report reference: 60073R1, August 2008 Report status: Final

Confidential Prepared by ESI Ltd

New Zealand House,160 Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, SY2 6FD, UK Tel +44(0)1743 276100 Fax +44 (0)1743 248600 email [email protected] Registered office: New Zealand House, 160 Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, SY2 6FD. Registered in England and Wales, number 3212832

Weeford Quarry: Hydrogeological Assessment

This report has been prepared by ESI Ltd in its professional capacity as soil and groundwater specialists, with reasonable skill, care and diligence within the agreed scope and terms of contract and taking account of the manpower and resources devoted to it by agreement with its client, and is provided by ESI solely for the internal use of its client.

The advice and opinions in this report should be read and relied on only in the context of the report as a whole, taking account of the terms of reference agreed with the client. The findings are based on the information made available to ESI at the date of the report (and will have been assumed to be correct) and on current UK standards, codes, technology and practices as at that time. They do not purport to include any manner of legal advice or opinion. New information or changes in conditions and regulatory requirements may occur in future, which will change the conclusions presented here.

This report is provided to the client. Should the client wish to release this report to any other third party for that party’s reliance, ESI accepts no responsibility of any nature to any third party to whom this report or any part thereof is made known. ESI accepts no responsibility for any loss or damage incurred as a result, and the third party does not acquire any rights whatsoever, contractual or otherwise, against ESI except as expressly agreed with ESI in writing.

Principal Author(s) Julia Falb Andrew Tait

Checked by: Robert Sears Reviewed by: Robert Sears

Confidential Prepared by ESI Ltd

CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION...... 1

1.1 Background...... 1

1.2 Scope of Work...... 1

1.3 This Report...... 1

2 BASELINE CONDITIONS ...... 2

2.1 Site Setting...... 2

2.2 Geology...... 2 2.2.1 Regional geology...... 2 2.2.2 Local geology...... 3 2.2.3 Available information ...... 3

2.3 Fill materials...... 6

2.4 Railway sleeper storage ...... 6

2.5 Hydrology...... 6 2.5.1 Rainfall ...... 6 2.5.2 Surface water features and drainage...... 8 2.5.3 Surface water flows...... 8 2.5.4 Surface water quality...... 9

2.6 Hydrogeology...... 9 2.6.1 Aquifer systems...... 9 2.6.2 Groundwater levels and flow ...... 10 2.6.3 Groundwater quality ...... 11

2.7 Discharges consents ...... 11

2.8 Potential Receptors...... 12 2.8.1 Surface water flows...... 12 2.8.2 Groundwater abstractions ...... 12 2.8.3 Other abstractions...... 13 2.8.4 Special sites...... 13

2.9 Conceptual Model ...... 13

3 QUARRY OPERATIONS...... 15

3.1 Current Development ...... 15

3.2 Water management...... 15

3.3 Restoration...... 15

4 ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS...... 16

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4.1 Impacts due to dewatering...... 16

4.2 Surface water and groundwater quality ...... 16

4.3 Impacts after restoration...... 17 4.3.1 Flooding ...... 17

5 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS...... 18

5.1 Summary...... 18

5.2 Monitoring recommendations ...... 18

6 REFERENCES...... 19

FIGURES

Figure 1.1 Site location map Figure 2.1 Site layout Figure 2.2 Regional geology Figure 2.3 Borehole locations Figure 2.4 Surface water features and monitoring points Figure 2.5 Groundwater levels at Weeford Flats Figure 2.6 Conceptual cross section (north-south) Figure 2.5 Conceptual cross section (east-west)

TABLES

Table 2.1 Stratigraphic Succesion of the Regional Geology...... 3 Table 2.2 Overview of site investigations ...... 4 Table 2.3 Borehole details...... 4 Table 2.4 Rainfall data (mm) ...... 7 Table 2.5 Rainfall and estimated effective rainfall at three stations along the River Tame.... 8 Table 2.6 Recent surface water quality (2004 to 2006) ...... 9 Table 2.7 Discharge consents within one kilometre of Weeford quarry...... 12

APPENDICES

Appendix A Environment Agency data Appendix B Borehole logs Appendix C Weeford Quarry waste management licence plan (from Arup, 2006)

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1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background Weeford Quarry (the “Site”) is located in Staffordshire approximately 6 km west of Tamworth and approximately 1 km south of Weeford (Figure 1.1). CEMEX UK Materials Ltd. currently operates Weeford Quarry for the production of sands and gravels from a soft sandstone. A scheme of conditions associated with the continued working of Weeford Quarry, pursuant to Schedule 13 of the Environment Act 1995, was submitted by RMC Aggregates (now Cemex (UK) Materials Ltd.) to Staffordshire County Council in August 1998. In September 1998 the County Council confirmed that additional environmental information was required to determine the updated scheme of conditions. Since then, the determination of the original scheme of conditions has been held in abeyance pending receipt of all the relevant environmental information. This report forms part of the required environmental information. It details a hydrological and hydrogeological assessment of the Site and wider environment. 1.2 Scope of Work In May 2008, CEMEX instructed ESI Ltd. to prepare a hydrogeological assessment report for the Site. ESI is an independent consultancy which specialises in hydrogeology and water resource impact assessment. The scope of work included: • Review of the baseline hydrogeology of the area around the proposed extension; • Identification of potential impacts on relevant receptors; • Development of appropriate monitoring and mitigation measures; • Preparation of a hydrogeological impact assessment for the quarry. A site walkover was also undertaken by ESI in May 2008. 1.3 This Report This report sets out the hydrological/hydrogeological impact assessment for Weeford Quarry. Section 2 presents an assessment of the relevant baseline conditions and conceptual model for the Site. Section 3 describes the quarry operations and Section 4 presents an assessment of the potential impacts of the development and recommendations for appropriate monitoring and mitigation measures to ameliorate any potential impacts. The results of the assessment are summarised in Section 5.

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2 BASELINE CONDITIONS

2.1 Site Setting Weeford Quarry is located in Staffordshire approximately 6 km west of Tamworth and approximately 1 km south of Weeford (Figure 1.1). The site layout is shown in Figure 2.1. The Site comprises an area of approximately 80 hectares, centred on the NGR 414100, 302250 and is roughly oval in shape. The Site comprises a number of excavation areas and current settlement lagoons as part of a mineral washing system as well as silted up and capped historical lagoons. A soft sandstone is quarried at the Site for the production of sand and gravel. The Black Brook, is the main drainage feature in the vicinity of the Site and runs from north west to south east approximately 1 km to the north of the Site. Weeford Quarry is located on a gently sloping, north facing hillside, with topography rising to approximately 155 mAOD at the southern end of the Site to about 83 mAOD at Black Brook to the north. 2.2 Geology 2.2.1 Regional geology Information on the regional geology of the area surrounding the Site has largely been obtained from the British Geological Survey (BGS) one inch scale geological sheet No. 154 for Lichfield (BGS, 1970), as shown in Figure 2.2. Information on the physical properties of the regional aquifers has been taken from the Major Aquifers Properties Manual (Allen et al., 1997). Table 2.1 shows a summary of the geological succession compiled from these sources. In the region around Weeford Quarry, bedrock is generally at outcrop. Weeford Quarry is directly underlain by the Lower Triassic Sherwood Sandstone Group, comprised regionally of the Kidderminster, Polesworth, and Cannock Chase Formations (formerly Bunter Pebble Beds) and these present the productive horizon extracted in Weeford Quarry. In the vicinity of Weeford, this formation is known as the Kidderminster Formation, and comprises soft sandstone interbedded with pebble beds and well cemented breccias and conglomerates, of between 30 m and 91m thickness. The Hopwas Breccia forms the base of the Kidderminster Formation and is uplifted immediately to the east of the Site, where it outcrops in isolated outliers. Both the Kidderminster Formation and the Hopwas Breccia dip gently to the north west. The base of the Sherwood Sandstone forms a regional unconformity resting on the underlying Carboniferous Strata. To the south and east of the Site, the Warwickshire Group of the South Staffordshire Coalfield is at outcrop as the Clent Formation, and comprises red marls and sandstones with calcareous conglomerates, of approximately 138 m thickness (Powell et al., 2000). The Warwickshire Group are generally horizontal in the vicinity of Weeford Quarry, but dip gently to the north approximately 500m north east of the Site, and dip gently to the north west approximately 1.6 km west of the Site. Alluvial deposits are located immediately north of the quarry, associated with the channel of the Black Brook. Approximately 500 m to the north of the Black Brook, the Warwickshire Group and Lower Sherwood Sandstone Group are overlain by Bromsgrove Sandstone Formation of the Upper Sherwood Sandstone (formerly the Keuper Sandstones), which is at outcrop. The Bromsgrove Sandstone Formation comprises fine grained, well cemented sandstone passing up into red mudstone of between 24 m and 121 m thickness.

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Table 2.1 Stratigraphic Succesion of the Regional Geology Epoch Strata Description Likely Hydrogeological Thickness Characteristics Pleistocene & Drift Peat, Alluvium, River Generally not Non-Aquifer Recent Gravels and First located Terrace Deposits beneath the site Triassic Mercia Mudstone Red marls with sandy 183 m Aquitard (formerly Keuper bands Marls) Upper Sherwood Fine grained, well 24 to 121 m Major Aquifer Sandstone Group: cemented and upward Bromsgrove fining pebbly Sandstone sandstone units Formation (formerly passing up into Keuper Sandstones) mudstone Lower Sherwood Well rounded, sandy 30 to 91 m Major Aquifer Sandstone Group: quartzite gravel and Kidderminster, conglomerate, with Polesworth and interbedded soft Cannock Chase sandstone and sand Formations horizons. Silty beds (formerly Bunter towards the middle Pebble Beds) and base. Base marked by ill sorted cemented breccia Unconformity Permain/ WarwickshireGroup Red marls, red brown unknown Minor-aquifer Upper Coal (Barren Measures): silts and dark brown Measures Clent Formation clays and red sandstones

Two faults cut the area in the immediate vicinity east of the quarry. The closest fault lies on the eastern boundary of the quarry; the other lies approximately 1.2 km beyond this. Both faults strike in an approximate north west – south east direction, and dip almost vertically to the west. Beyond these, to the east, a further fault strikes north east – south west, dipping almost vertically to the east, and demarks the boundary between the Warwickshire Group and the Triassic Mercia Mudstone (formerly the Keuper Marl), which comprises approximately 183 m of red marls with sandy bands. 2.2.2 Local geology 2.2.3 Available information Information on local geology beneath the Site and the immediate vicinity has been obtained from a number of site investigations carried out on, and in the vicinity of, the Site. Table 2.2 gives an overview of investigations carried out. The investigations undertaken in 1966, 1985, 1988, 1990 and 1994 have been documented in factual reports Le Grand Adsco (1966), (RCM (1989), RCM (1990) and RMC (1995). Table 2.3 summarizes all available borehole log information while Figure 2.3 shows the locations of the boreholes. Appendix B shows logs from boreholes within or adjacent to the Site.

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Table 2.2 Overview of site investigations Year Location Number of holes Depth range (m) 1966 Job’s Hill (east of Rough 13 4.9 – 21.35 Leasow) 1985 Weeford Quarry site 6 6.0 – 17.2 1988 Weeford Quarry site 7 11.5 – 17.0 1990 Rough Leasow 3 21.5 – 25.5 1994 Rough Leasow 4 9.0 – 12.6 1997 Job’s Hill (east of Rough 2 16 - 28 Leasow)

Table 2.3 Borehole details Depth Depth to Hole Ground to base Base of base of Borehole East North depth level of mineral topsoil (m) (mAOD) mineral (mAOD) (m) (m) BH 1/66 414825 303700 6.7 88 0 > 6.7 81.3 BH 2/66 414870 303845 14.95 95.5 0.6 > 14.96 80.54 BH 10/66 414865 303065 15.85 125.5 0.45 > 15.85 109.65 BH 12/66 415080 303710 6.1 87.5 0.6 > 6.1 81.4 BH 13/66 415070 303555 4.9 82.5 1.2 > 4.9 77.6 BH 14/66 414865 303250 21.35 97.5 0.6 10.05 87.45 BH 15/66 414950 303390 4.9 88 1.2 1.2 86.8 BH 16/66 415025 302940 10.7 103 1.2 1.2 101.8 BH 17/66 415110 303010 9.15 91.5 1.2 1.2 90.3 BH 18/66 415085 303235 15.85 89 1.5 5.5 83.5 BH 19/66 415005 303070 15.55 113 1.2 8.2 104.8 BH 20/66 414965 302985 10.7 119 1.2 1.2 117.8 BH 21/66 414595 303020 9.15 114.5 2.45 2.45 112.05 BH 1/85 414000 301860 10 155.5 0.2 8.4 147.1 BH 2/85 414060 301630 11 159.9 0.1 3.9 156 BH 3/85 414250 301650 10.6 159.6 0.1 0.1 159.5 BH 4/85 414110 301377 6 161.6 0.2 0.2 161.4 BH 5/85 414110 302150 17.2 153.9 0.6 11.5 142.4 BH 6/85 414390 302320 6.9 135 0.1 3.3 131.7 BH 10/88 414120 302240 17 153.1 0.4 9 144.1 BH 11/88 413880 302310 13 139.1 0.5 10.2 128.9 BH 12/88 413890 302100 16 147.8 0.5 12.5 135.3 BH 7/88 414310 302490 14 142 0.5 8.6 133.4 BH 8/88 414200 302250 12.5 154.5 0.4 > 12.5 142

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Depth Depth to Hole Ground to base Base of base of Borehole East North depth level of mineral topsoil (m) (mAOD) mineral (mAOD) (m) (m) BH 9/88 414290 302190 12 151.3 0.5 8.1 143.2 BH 13/88 414300 302250 11.5 149.2 0.4 8 141.2 BH 1/90 414245 303312 21.5 108.8 0.2 16.3 92.5 BH 2/90 414325 303134 25.5 117.8 0.2 17.5 100.3 BH 3/90 414407 302992 21.8 125.4 0.5 20.1 105.3 BH 1/94 414483 302098 9 154.6 0.15 8.7 145.9 BH 2/94 414505 302982 8 140.9 0.15 3.1 137.8 BH 2A/94 414505 302982 12.6 140.9 0.15 3.1 137.8 BH 3/94 414602 302706 11.5 148.05 0.1 9.5 138.55 BH 4/94 414586 303220 3 125.25 0.6 > 3 122.25 BH 4A/94 414586 303220 10.6 125.25 0.6 10.1 115.15 BH1/97 414968 303278 28 97.3 0.2 9 88.3 BH 2/97 414893 303142 16 113.3 0.2 6 107.3

Superficial deposits RMC (1989) shows that within the Site a thin layer of topsoil is present directly on sand and gravel mineral from the Kidderminster Formation. RMC (1990) reports that boreholes drilled to the east of the Site at the adjacent Rough Leasow area showed that the thickness of overburden overlying the Kidderminster Formation was ranging from 0.2 m to 5.4 m. The overburden material was reported to comprise thin gravely topsoil and sand to gravely sand. Alluvial deposits are located immediately north of the quarry, associated with the channel of the Black Brook. Kidderminster Formation The Kidderminster Formation was investigated within the quarry (RMC, 1989) and to the east of the Site (RMC, 1995). It was found to comprise a well rounded, sandy quartzite gravel and conglomerate, with interbedded sand and soft sandstone horizons. There was a greater proportion of silty beds within the mid and lower parts, which contain silty, angular gravels and proportionally less quartzite. The lower part is considered to be a reworking of the underlying Hopwas Breccia (RMC, 1995). The gravel fraction is comprised of quartzite, sandstone and igneous rock, and the sand fraction comprises silty fine sand. At Weeford Quarry, the Kidderminster Formation was proven in boreholes to range in thickness between 1.9 m and 11 m. To the east of the Site, the Kidderminster Formation had a maximum proven thickness of 9.55 m, and was found to dip at approximately 4º to the north. Hopwas Breccia The Hopwas Breccia forms a discontinuous base to the Sherwood Sandstone Group, and underlies the Kidderminster Formation in the general vicinity of the Site. The Hopwas Breccia was found to comprise a poorly sorted, cemented breccia (RMC, 1989). It marks the base of the workable unit.

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Warwickshire Group In the area around Weeford Quarry, the Warwickshire Group unconformably overlies the Upper Coal Measures Formation, and is present as the Clent Formation. The Clent Formation is generally regarded as Early Permian in age (Powell et al., 2000). Due to a present day erosion surface, the top of the formation is not present. The Clent Formation generally comprises subangular breccia with a red-brown mudstone matrix, red marls, red brown silts, red mudstones, dark brown clays and red sandstones (IRL (1965); Le Grand Adsco (1966) Powell et al., (2000) and RMC (1995). 2.3 Fill materials The northern half of the Site lies within a waste management licence boundary as shown in Figure 2.1. The waste management licence area is currently in the process of definitive closure as reported in Arup (2006) and ESI (2007). The area was first granted a waste disposal licence on 5th October 1977. The waste management licence was granted to Western Aggregates Ltd, a part of Ready Mixed Concrete Ltd in 1995, which was acquired by CEMEX UK in 2005 (ESI, 2007). The landfill was divided into four areas (Arup, 2006). These areas are shown in Appendix C: • Area 1 comprises the land to the north of the current Site which has been completely restored and returned to agriculture. • Area 2, 3 and 4 are located in the northern half of the Site. Imported inert waste was tipped within Area 3 and in only small discrete zones within Area 1 and 2 which relate to individual silt lagoons. Area 4 has not been used for the disposal of controlled waste (ESI, 2007). The inert waste material comprises uncontaminated waste mortar and overburden from quarrying operations. Possible impacts and recommendations associated with the inert landfill material on the Site are considered in Arup (2006) and ESI (2007) and summarised in Section 4 of this report. 2.4 Railway sleeper storage A large number of railway sleepers are stored in the south of the Site within the approximate area shown in Figure 2.1. The deposits beneath the sleeper storage area have not been worked, and ground levels are at approximately 149mAOD to 150mAOD in this area. A number of potential contaminants are associated with disused railway sleepers such as pesticides, hydraulic and lubricating oils and human waste. A qualitative hydrogeological risk assessment on the sleepers at Weeford Quarry has been carried out by RMC Aggregates (now Cemex (UK) Materials Ltd) internally (RMC Aggregates, 2004). The assessment concludes that it is considered that any residual contamination is very low and any risk to either the underlying groundwater or the Little Hay public water supply (which is discussed in Section 2.8.2) is negligible. 2.5 Hydrology 2.5.1 Rainfall There are two permanent rainfall gauges in the vicinity of the Site: Little Hay located approximately 100m to the north of the Site (NGR 414123 303030) and Penkridge located approximately 25 km to the north-west (NRG 418200 305200). Table 2.4 presents the average rainfall for Little Hay and Penkridge rain gauges. The long- term mean annual rainfall at Little Hay is 691 mm compared to 676 mm at Penkridge.

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Table 2.4 Rainfall data (mm) Little Hay Rainfall (1961 to Penkridge weather station Month 1990)1 Rainfall 2 Jan 60.8 62.7 Feb 48.5 44.4 Mar 50.9 51.2 Apr 53.9 48.5 May 54.7 52.7 Jun 55.7 59.3 Jul 51.7 46.7 Aug 62.3 57.7 Sep 57.8 63.6 Oct 62.8 60.5 Nov 62.6 62 Dec 69.6 66.8 Year 691 676 1 1 provided by the Environment Agency after an official data request 2 2 From the Met Office webpage

There are a number of permanent flow gauge stations along the River Tame operated by the CEH and published on the national water archive website. In the absence of evapotranspiration data, the hydrologically effective rainfall (HER) has been estimated by dividing the flow in the river by the catchment area, thus ignoring losses through soil moisture deficit and assuming constant aquifer storage. The results are presented in Table 2.5 with calculated HER ranging from 422 to 550 mm/a.

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Table 2.5 Rainfall and estimated effective rainfall at three stations along the River Tame

Name Location Easting Northing Elevation Average Estimated relative to (mAOD) annual effective site rainfall 1961 rainfall -1990 (mm/a)* (mm/a) Hopwas 5 km to north- 418200 305200 54.5 691 550 Bridge west

Lea 11km to 420600 293500 65.8 715 533 Marston south-west

Water 12 km to 416900 291500 74.4 725 422 Orton south

(source: national weather archive (CEH, 2008)) * estimated as flow in river (m/a) divided by catchment area (m2).

2.5.2 Surface water features and drainage Surface water features are presented in Figure 2.4. The Black Brook is the main drainage feature in the vicinity of the Site. It runs from north west to south east approximately 1 km to the north of the Site and is at an elevation of approximately 83 mAOD to the north of the Site. It becomes the Bourne Brook about 4 km to the east of the Site before joining the River Tame about 5 km to the east of the Site on the western edge of Tamworth. Littlehay Brook is located approximately 1.5 km to the west of the Site and flows from north to south before joining the Black Brook. Weeford Quarry is located on a gently sloping, north facing hillside, with topography rising to approximately 155 mAOD at the southern end of the Site to about 83 mAOD at Black Brook to the north. Both the eastern and western margins of the Site are marked by steeper slopes into shallow valleys. The surface topography slopes steeply to the east of the Site, down to the area of land known as Rough Leastow, which drains naturally to the north and north east towards the Black Brook. To the east of Rough Leastow the topography rises steeply, forming the Gorsey (or Hints) Hill, which also drains naturally to the north east. Rain falling on the Site is likely to drain directly into the Kidderminster Formation. Excess rainfall occurring as runoff, is likely to drain towards the north/north east, towards the Black Brook. 2.5.3 Surface water flows Surface water flow data in the vicinity of the Site was provided by the Environment Agency and is shown in Appendix A. At Hints, about 1 km to the north east of the Site, in April and June 2007 the flow in the Black Brook was 0.57 and 0.46 m3/s. Data between 1975 and 1979 from Black Brook at Little Hay, about 1 km to the north west ranged between 0.14 m3/s and 0.45 m3/s. Various data from Littlehay Brook between 1978 and 1995 gave a maximum flow of 0.1 m3/s.

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2.5.4 Surface water quality Surface water quality data for the Black Brook were obtained from the Environment Agency for the reach between Shenstone Sewage Treatment Works (STW) and the A38(T) London Road, immediately upstream of the quarry. The Environment Agency website states that the most recent general quality assessment (between 2004 and 2006) of the Black Brook is Good (B). The Black Brook has generally attained this classification since 1997. Prior to 1997, the general quality assessment of the Black Brook by the Environment Agency was either Fairly Good (C), Fair (D) or Poor (E). Only two assessment results for the biology of the Black Brook are available from the Environment Agency (from 2000 and 2004), and these indicate that the biology of the Black Brook is classified as Fair (D); that a range of pollutant tolerant species are present. 2004 to 2006 data from the Environment Agency indicate that the nitrate quality of the Black Brook is rated as 6, which indicates that nitrate is very high. Similarly, discontinuous data over the same period indicates that the phosphate quality of the Black Brook is classified as 6, which indicates that phosphate is excessively high. These may result from agricultural application and / or the Shenstone STW. The most recent assessment of the nitrate and phosphate concentrations within the Black Brook, as assessed by the Environment Agency, is presented in Table 2.6, below.

Table 2.6 Recent surface water quality (2004 to 2006) Determinand Mean Standard Number of deviation samples Nitrates (mg/l) 72.46 36 Phosphates (mg/l) 1.6 1.39 36

2.6 Hydrogeology 2.6.1 Aquifer systems Regionally, the Sherwood Sandstone Formation is classified as a major aquifer. These are highly permeable formations usually with a known or probable presence of significant fracturing. It is highly productive and able to support large abstractions for public water supply and other purposes. The unit has been allocated a resource availability status of ‘Over Abstracted’. (Environment Agency, 2007a). This means that the Environment Agency has concluded that too much water is already being abstracted and the volumes of water required by the environment are not being met. The reason for this status is primarily due to the large amount of PWS abstraction from the Lichfield Permo-Triassic Sandstone aquifer block. 2.6.1.1 Kidderminster Formation (Lower Triassic Sherwood Sandstone) There are no site-specific data available regarding the hydraulic or transport properties of the Sherwood Sandstone Group. Allen et al. (1997) indicates that the Permo-Triassic sandstones of the West Midland typically act as a single hydrogeological unit, although fine grained horizons within the sandstones can cause hydraulic stratification, resulting in double or multiple aquifer systems. Values of hydraulic conductivity for the Kidderminster Formation range between 4.6x10-6 m/d to 9.4 m/d (Allen et al., 1997), where lowest hydraulic conductivities occur in strongly cemented horizons, intermediate hydraulic conductivities occur in medium grained strata and highest hydraulic conductivities are associated with interbedded coarse sands. In the immediate vicinity of Weeford Quarry, the Kidderminster Formation is largely unsaturated and the water table is found at the base of the Kidderminster Formation or within the top part of the Hopwas Breccia.

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2.6.1.2 Hopwas Breccia There are no site-specific data available regarding the hydraulic or transport properties of the Hopwas Breccia. It is expected, however, that the well cemented Hopwas Breccia forms a relatively low permeability base to the Kidderminster Formation. No information is available on fracturing and whether this affects groundwater flow. 2.6.1.3 Warwickshire Group There are no site-specific data available regarding the hydraulic or transport properties of the Warwickshire Group. The presence of marls, mudstones, silts and clays within this group, however, indicate that the Warwickshire Group may provide a low permeability barrier to flow at the base of the Sherwood Sandstone. 2.6.2 Groundwater levels and flow Piezometer evidence No permanent groundwater monitoring infrastructure currently exists at Weeford Quarry. Several boreholes were drilled historically for the purpose of mineral investigation in the vicinity of the Site, but no longer exist. During site investigations in 1966 (Le Grand Adsco, 1966), several boreholes encountered groundwater to the east of Weeford Quarry (locations shown in Figure 2.3). Groundwater was encountered in Boreholes 1/66, 2/66, 15/66 and 21/66 at approximately 3 mbgl (85 mAOD), 14 mbgl (81.5 mAOD), 5 mbgl (83 mAOD), and 8 mbgl (106.5 mAOD), respectively. RMC (1990) reports that groundwater was encountered in one of three boreholes drilled at that time, to the east of the Site, at a level of 90.2 mAOD (Borehole 1/90 in Figure 2.3), reported to be some 2.3 m below the base of the mineral (Kidderminster Formation). The remaining boreholes 2/90 and 3/90, with bases at 92.3 and 101.6 mAOD were reported to be to be dry. RMC (1995) reports that groundwater is expected to lie at some depth within the Upper Carboniferous strata and RMC (1989) reports that, during the drilling of thirteen boreholes at Weeford Quarry in 1985 and 1988, completed to depths between 155.6 mAOD and 126 mAOD, within the Kidderminster Formation, no groundwater was encountered. In the absence of current local piezometric data, this evidence indicates that the Kidderminster Formation is likely to be unsaturated across the majority of the quarry which is located at a high elevation, and that the water table is near ground surface in the valley at Rough Leastow, immediately east of the Site. Environment Agency data The Environment Agency (2008) (Appendix A) reported that indicative groundwater level contours for the area around the quarry suggest a groundwater level of about 110 mAOD in the south of the Site and 100 mAOD in the north. This suggests a groundwater flow direction to the north towards the Black Brook. A data request to the Environment Agency in 2008 yielded groundwater level information from two monitoring boreholes at Weeford Flats (location shown in Figure 2.4), located approximately 1.7 km to the north of the Site, from a “shallow” and “deep” monitoring well (7.6 and 28 m deep respectively). These wells are located in the Shenstone Groundwater unit and intersect the Sherwood Sandstone Group. These boreholes are located stratigraphically above the sandstone worked at the Site. Groundwater level monitoring has been undertaken at the shallow hole from November 1966 at weekly intervals until 1985. Thereafter monitoring has been undertaken at monthly intervals up to present. The deep borehole has been monitored from May 1994 onwards at

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monthly intervals. Data has been obtained from the Environment Agency up to April 2008. Groundwater levels monitored are presented in Figures 2.5. Groundwater levels are in the range of 88.5 to 92 mAOD in both holes. Levels in the deep and shallow boreholes fluctuate with similar ranges of about 3 m. Levels in the deeper hole are generally higher than levels in the shallow hole by approximately 1 m which suggests and upward vertical hydraulic gradient. 2.6.2.1 Lower Sherwood Sandstone Group (Kidderminster Formation) The geological data indicate that the Lower Sherwood Sandstone Group is stratified, and likely to comprise high permeability sands and soft sandstones, gravels and conglomerates and interbedded, lower permeability silts, clay and marls, especially towards the base. The greater proportion of lower permeability strata towards the base of the Kidderminster Formation, and the presence of the lower permeability, cemented Hopwas Breccia are likely to limit vertical movement of groundwater through the base of the Kidderminster Formation. The underlying low permeability marls, clays and silts of the Warwickshire Group are likely to further restrict vertical movement of groundwater from or to the Lower Sherwood Sandstone Formation. Regionally, (Allen et al., 1997) indicates that flow in the Kidderminster Formation is eastwards towards the Birmingham Fault to the east of the Site, where groundwater emerges along the spring line. However, in the vicinity of Weeford Quarry, groundwater is not generally detected in the Kidderminster Formation. Groundwater flow within the Kidderminster Formation, in the vicinity of the Site is limited vertically by lower permeability strata. Therefore, any local groundwater flow is much more likely to follow the dip of the bedding towards a topographical low. Although the dip of the Kidderminster Formation is shown to be to the west (BGS, 1970), mineral investigations at Weeford Quarry indicate that the local dip of the Kidderminster Formation is actually to the north and north west. It is likely, therefore, that groundwater will flow northwards within higher permeability strata within the Kidderminster Formation to intercept the Black Brook. 2.6.2.2 Carboniferous In the vicinity of Weeford Quarry, the top of the Carboniferous strata comprises marls, silts, clays and sandstones, which are likely to form a low permeability, unconformable base to the Kidderminster Formation. RMC (1995) reports that the regional groundwater level is likely to lie at some depth within the Coal Measures, however, the flow direction is unknown. 2.6.3 Groundwater quality There are no data available on the existing groundwater quality in the vicinity of Weeford quarry. However, it would be expected that due to the rural nature of the area the natural quality would be high, possibly with high nitrate concentrations due to agricultural fertiliser application. 2.7 Discharges consents ESI (2007) reports that there are two consented discharges located within 1 km of Weeford Quarry. Details of the discharge locations were obtained from Envirocheck reports and are detailed in Table 2.7 below.

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Table 2.7 Discharge consents within one kilometre of Weeford quarry Consent No. National Grid Receiving Water Purpose Reference

T/17/03503/T 413770, 302480 Tributary of Black Trade discharge – Brook site drainage (not tips) T/17/35878/S 413550, 302750 Black Brook Sewage discharges – final/trade effluent

It is noted that consent number T/17/35878/S is stated within the Envirocheck reports as discharging to the Black Brook. It is assumed that this discharge is actually to a tributary which feeds the Black Brook. 2.8 Potential Receptors 2.8.1 Surface water flows The Black Brook (approximately 1 km to the north of the Site), and to a lesser extent Littlehay Brook (approximately 1.5 km to the west of the Site), are the main surface water features which are potential receptors. It is considered that these brooks are likely to receive baseflow from the Kidderminster Formation and any reduction in groundwater levels may reduce flow to these brooks. Baseflow in these brooks appears to have already been significantly affected by PWS abstraction. A surface water abstraction license is granted for the Site to abstract water from the Blackbrook River for the purpose of gravel washing and ready mixed concrete manufacture. The abstraction is located 1 km to the north of the northern site boundary and is located at Blackbrook Farm (SK 1350 0370). The license is effective since March 2005 and was originally issued in 1965. Licensed rates are 81.83 m3/hr, 681.9 m3/d and 245,484 m3/yr.

2.8.2 Groundwater abstractions No abstraction licence data was received from the Environment Agency. Data from the Environment Agency website shows that the Site is not located within a source protection zone (Appendix A). The Little Hay public water supply abstraction (03/28/17/0006 No. 103) is located approximately 1.6 km west of the Site (412330, 303080) and is operated by South Staffordshire Water Plc. The Site is located within about 800 m of the outer edge of the total catchment (Zone III) of the source protection zone for the Little Hay source. The Source Protection Zone maps indicate that the Little Hay borehole draws groundwater from the Lower Sherwood Sandstone aquifer to the south of the abstraction, and that both the Outer and Total Catchment Zones are constrained to the east, possibly by the presence of faulting as discussed below. The Little Hay abstraction draws groundwater from the Sherwood Sandstone and is part of the Shenstone Groundwater Management Unit. Specific data relating to the licensed annual abstraction, and the aquifer formation utilised for the abstraction was not made available by the Environment Agency, although it is believed that the Little Hay abstraction, as a potable supply, is likely to abstract groundwater from the Kidderminster Formation. A cross section of the geology, drawn near to the Little Hay abstraction (BGS, 1970), indicates that a fault cuts the Kidderminster Formation directly between the abstraction at Little Hay and Weeford

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Quarry. The presence of such faulting in the Kidderminster Formation, and the thinning of the formation between these two areas, is likely to restrict the hydraulic continuity within the Kidderminster Formation between the abstraction and Weeford Quarry. The Site comes within about 1 km of the total catchment of a source protection zone for a public water supply located near Hopwas, about 3 km to the north east of the Site. 2.8.3 Other abstractions Lichfield District Council environmental health department were not aware of any private water supplies within 3 km of the Site. 2.8.4 Special sites There are no Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in the vicinity of the Site. The closest SSSI (Sutton Park) is located about 4.8 km to the south-west. There are no other special sites located in the vicinity of the Site. Some ancient woodland is located adjacent to the Site to the east. 2.9 Conceptual Model Conceptual cross sections across the Site from north to south and east to west are shown in Figure 2.6 and 2.7 respectively. The Kidderminster Formation is worked beneath the Site and comprises a well rounded, sandy quartzite gravel and conglomerate, with interbedded sand and soft sandstone horizons. This is underlain by the Hopwas Breccia which marks the base of the workable unit and comprises a poorly sorted, cemented breccia. Alluvial deposits are located immediately north of the quarry, associated with the channel of the Black Brook. The long-term mean annual rainfall at Little Hay adjacent to the Site is 691 mm. The hydrologically effective rainfall (HER) is estimated to be 422 to 550 mm/a. The Black Brook is the main drainage feature in the vicinity of the Site and runs from north west to south east approximately 1 km to the north of the Site and is at an elevation of approximately 83 mAOD to the north of the Site. Flow in the brook generally ranges between 0.14 m3/s and 0.45 m3/s. Littlehay Brook is located approximately 1.5 km to the west of the Site and flows from north to south before joining Black Brook. Weeford Quarry is located on a gently sloping, north facing hillside, with topography falling from approximately 155 mAOD at the southern end of the Site to about 83 mAOD at Black Brook to the north. Rain falling on the Site is likely to drain directly into the Kidderminster Formation. Excess rainfall occurring as runoff, is likely to drain towards the north/north east, towards the Black Brook. Regionally, the Sherwood Sandstone Formation is classified as a major aquifer. The unit has been allocated a resource availability status of ‘over abstracted’. The Permo-Triassic sandstones of the West Midland is thought to typically act as a single hydrogeological unit, although fine grained horizons within the sandstones can cause hydraulic stratification, resulting in double or multiple aquifer systems. Beneath the quarry, the Kidderminster Formation is largely unsaturated and the water table is found at the base of the Kidderminster Formation or within the top part of the underlying Hopwas Breccia. No dewatering has been required during quarrying. The Black Brook (approximately 1 km to the north of the Site), and to a lesser extent Littlehay Brook (approximately 1.5 km to the west of the Site), are the main surface water features which are potential receptors from quarry activities. They are likely to receive baseflow from the Kidderminster Formation.

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The Site is not located within a source protection zone but is located within about 800 m of the outer edge of the total catchment (Zone III) of a source protection zone at Little Hay. This draws groundwater from the Sherwood Sandstone and is part of the Shenstone Groundwater Management Unit. There are no special sites in the vicinity of the Site. Some ancient woodland is located adjacent to the Site to the east.

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3 QUARRY OPERATIONS

3.1 Current Development CEMEX UK Materials Ltd. currently operates Weeford Quarry for the production of sands and gravels from the Kidderminster Formation. The site layout is shown in Figure 2.1. The quarry is consented to work to 120 mAOD. The plant area and offices are located in the west of the Site adjacent to the A38 roadway. Quarrying below the water table is not permitted. Currently the maximum depth of quarry is approximately 126 mAOD and the water table has not been encountered. The workable deposit is coming to the end of its lifespan and there are no plans to extend the quarry. Part of Weeford Quarry area is registered as a landfill (as reported in Section 2.3) and is currently in the process of definitive closure as reported in Arup (2006) and ESI (2007). 3.2 Water management The quarry does not use mains water for mineral washing. Anecdotal evidence from the quarry manager suggests that a large amount of rainfall does not percolate to ground readily and drains to the south towards the Black Brook. It is understood that much of this water is captured for use in a closed loop system for mineral washing. Water used in the mineral washing process is pumped though a system of three silt lagoons for settlement prior to pumping to a freshwater lagoon prior to reuse (locations shown on Figure 2.1). The quarry generally has enough water for mineral washing with losses balanced by collection of run-off water. The quarry has an abstraction licence site to abstract water from the Black Brook for the purpose of gravel washing and ready mixed concrete manufacture (as reported in Section 2.8). This is used to top up the system when required and is mainly used in summer months and periodically when required to fill a new lagoon for example. 3.3 Restoration The land to the north of the quarry area between the northern boundary (as shown in Figure 2.1) and the Black Brook has previously been quarried and completely restored to gently sloping agricultural land. It is proposed that the remainder of the quarry area will be restored to allow natural drainage from north to south.

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4 ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS

The potential impacts from future quarry activities are discussed in the following sections. Where any significant negative impacts are identified, mitigation measures are proposed.

4.1 Impacts due to dewatering The proposed development requires no dewatering as the workable sands and gravels are, in general, not saturated. This restricts the number of receptors that it is appropriate to consider as part of this report. As no dewatering will be required, it is considered that there will be no impact on surface water or groundwater sources or surface water flows. The capturing of rainfall runoff for use in the mineral washing process is not considered to have a significant impact on flows in the Black Brook as this has occurred over a long period of time and also reduces the need for abstraction from the Black Brook as per the abstraction licence. 4.2 Surface water and groundwater quality There are a number of mechanisms for potential impacts to occur on groundwater and surface water quality:

Impacts from spills from plant operating on site It is anticipated that impacts from spills from plant operating on site will continue to be addressed by standard planning conditions that have been applied to similar developments in the area. There is one oil storage area on the Site, located within the plant area. This holds 44,000 litres and is double skinned and bunded and it is thus considered that potential impacts on water quality will be adequately mitigated by these measures. Impacts from discharge of sediment laden water to drains etc No discharge to surface or groundwater is required. Water used for mineral washing will be passed through settlement lagoon before reuse for mineral washing and it is thus considered that potential impacts on water quality will be adequately mitigated by these measures. Impacts from controlled wastes Potential impacts on surface water and groundwater quality from controlled wastes are reported in ESI (2007) which reports the following. The base of the controlled waste is above the water table and the primary source of any water infiltrating this material is from rainfall. In the absence of a landfill cap or basal barrier system, effective rainfall is able to infiltrate the waste areas. Rain falling on the site is likely to drain through the waste and permeate downwards to the Kidderminster Formation until it reaches the water table, within the basal part of the Kidderminster Formation or within the Hopwas Breccia. The higher proportion of silts at the base of the Kidderminster Formation, and the presence of the low permeability Hopwas Breccia at the base of the Kidderminster Formation will restrict the vertical movement of groundwater within the lower part of the Kidderminster Formation and Hopwas Breccia. Faulting to the east of the landfill will prohibit any localised eastward groundwater flow. Similarly, faulting to the west of the landfill will restrict localised westward groundwater flow towards the Little Hay public water supply. The groundwater flow within the Kidderminster Formation is considered to be highly localised, and follow the dip of the bedding both towards the north and the north west, intercepting the Black Brook to the north and north west of the landfill periphery.

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Therefore, groundwater quality within the Kidderminster Formation and surface water quality within Black Brook are possible receptors. ESI (2007) recommended the following monitoring: • monitoring of the Black Brook both up and down stream of the Site • 4 groundwater monitoring points (two up hydraulic gradient and two down hydraulic gradient) within the Kidderminster Formation of the Lower Sherwood Sandstone Group. 4.3 Impacts after restoration It is proposed that the quarry area will be restored to allow natural drainage from north to south. It is considered that there will be negligible impacts on surface water or groundwater. 4.3.1 Flooding The Site does not lie within either a fluvial or tidal indicative floodplain, as defined by the Environment Agency. A narrow belt of a few metres on either side of the Black Brook has been classified by the Environment Agency as at risk from flooding without defences (Environment Agency online records, 2008).

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5 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary This report presents a hydrogeological assessment of the current and future activities of Weeford Quarry. A significant body of data on the geology, hydrogeology and hydrology of the Site has been collected and reviewed in order to develop a conceptual understanding of the local flow systems. The main permeable formations of interest to this assessment are the sand and gravel deposits of the Kidderminster Formation. The Black Brook, located approximately 1 km to the north of the Site, is the main drainage feature in the vicinity. Littlehay Brook is located approximately 1.5 km to the west of the Site. Weeford Quarry is located on a gently sloping, north facing hillside, with topography falling from approximately 155 mAOD at the southern end of the Site to about 83 mAOD at Black Brook to the north. Rain falling on the Site is likely to drain directly into the Kidderminster Formation with excess rainfall draining towards the Black Brook. Regionally, the Sherwood Sandstone Formation is classified as a major aquifer. Beneath the quarry, the Kidderminster Formation is largely unsaturated and no quarry workings below the water table have taken place. Therefore, it is considered that there will be negligible impact on groundwater sources or surface water flows. Any capture of rainfall runoff for use in the mineral washing process is not considered to have a significant impact on flows in the Black Brook as this reduces the need for abstraction from the Black Brook as per the abstraction licence. Potential impacts on water quality associated with quarrying activities will continue to be adequately mitigated by standard quarrying good practice measures. Part of Weeford Quarry area is registered as an inert landfill and is currently in the process of definitive closure. Possible impacts and recommendations associated with landfilling are considered separately in Arup (2006) and ESI (2007) which report that groundwater within the Kidderminster Formation and surface water within Black Brook are possible receptors. Recommendations to install 4 groundwater monitoring wells and to monitor the Black Brook both up and down stream of the Site were included in the closure plan. It is proposed that the quarry area will be restored to allow natural drainage from north to south. It is considered that there will be negligible impacts on surface water or groundwater from this process. 5.2 Monitoring recommendations It is considered that no monitoring is required with respect to current and future quarrying activities.

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6 REFERENCES

Allen, D.J., Brewerton, L.J., Coleby, L.M., Gibbs, B.R., Lewis, M.A., MacDonald, A.M., Wagstaff, S.J., and Williams, A.T. 1997. The physical properties of major aquifers in England and Wales. British Geological Survey Technical Report WD/97/34. Environment Agency R&D Publication 8. Arup, 2006. Closure report Weeford Landfill. Report ref. 119725/RE/003. Barrow, G., Gibson, W., Cantrill, T. C., Dixon, E. E. L., Cunnington, C. H. (1919): Memoirs of the Geological Survey England and Wales, The Geology of the country around Lichfield, including northern parts of the South Staffordshire and Warwickshire Coalfields, 1919. British Geological Survey, 1970. Litchfield. England and Wales Sheet 154. Solid Edition. Environment Agency (2007a): Water abstraction getting the balance right, The Tame, Anker and Mease Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy (CAMS), Consultation Document November 2007. Environment Agency (2008a): Letter from Environment Agency to Alliance Planning. Scoping opinion in relation to the review of old mineral permissions at Weeford Quarry (Ref. SCO.16/810 MW). Environment Agency (2008b): What is in my backyard search, conducted 29 May 2008. Environment Agency (2008c): Correspondence on Weeford Quarry by D JW Taylor, ref.: MC 14684/DT, 9 June 2008. ESI Ltd (2007): Weeford Landfill: Hydrogeological Conceptualisation Report Industrial Research Laboratories (IRL), City of Birmingham, Public Works Department, 1965. A site investigation for sand and gravel deposits at Canwell Estate. PTB/138/90/S.356/J.3473. Le Grand Adsco, 1966. Site investigation geophysical and geological survey for sand and gravel at area project 43B. No. R.S.1119. Powell, J. H., Chisholm, J. I., Bridge, D. McC., Rees, J. G., Glover, B. W. and Besley, B. M., 2000. Stratigraphical framework for Westphalian to Early Permian red-bed successions of the Pennine Basin. British Geological Survey Research Report, RR/00/01. RMC, 1989. Report on the re-appraisal of consented reserves at Weeford Quarry and the assessment of resources at Weeford Park Wood, Canwell, Sutton Coldfield. Ref: SK10 4/1. RMC Technical Services (1990): Report on a geological investigation at Rough Leasow, Weeford, Staffordshire, ref.: SK 10 4/3.. RMC Technical Services (1995): Report on a geological investigation at Weeford, Staffordshire, ref.: SK 1402. RMC Aggregates (2004): Memorandum on Weeford Quarry, Concrete Sleepers, RMC Aggregates (UK) Ltd, Susie Wade, ref.: SPW.SD140402, 14 April 2002. CEH (2008): Records of the National River flow archive and national groundwater archive, http://www.ceh.ac.uk/data/NWA.htm, accessed 29 May 2008. National Weather Archive (2008): weather archive operated by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH Wallingford)), http://www.ceh.ac.uk/data/NWA.htm (accessed May, 2008).

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