DEFINITION of the PROBLEM a . GENERAL the Little Schuylkill
DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM A . GENERAL The Little Schuylkill River receives acid mine drainage directly from numerous sources as well as from two tributaries, the Wabash and Panther Creeks. A total of 24 primary sources of AMD contribute essentially all the pollution in the study area. Of these, 14 are discharges from deep mine workings, 9 are seeps from refuse storage banks, and one is the discharge from an active breaker. Access roads constructed of mine refuse are located adjacent to or within refuse dumps at the Silverbrook Basin, the Newkirk Mine and the active Greenwood Stripping Pit, and their contributions and/or reclamation are incorporated into the study as part of their associated refuse storage areas. One isolated mine refuse road is that leading north from Route 209 near the village of Newkirk to the base of Locust Mountain; but its presence is insignificant as no measurable AMD was found discharging from the material. The sources of AMD are shown on the map, Exhibit 9, following page 51. - 6 - On each affected water-course, mine drainage discharges begin near the streams's headwaters. Of the three objectionable mine water constituents, acid, sulfate and iron, the acid contribution is the most damaging to water quality . Under average daily conditions, natural gravity discharges con- tribute 16,400 lbs. of acid to the basin. The Little Schuylkill River re- ceives 6,900 lbs. of acid directly and another 4,500 lbs. and 5,000 lbs. from the Panther and Wabash Creeks, respectively. In addition to the gravity discharge, mine water is pumped intermittently, and contributes acid at a combined normal rate of 23,000 lbs.
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