AMD and Extent in West Virginia Patrick Campbell - April 22, 2008

Progression Clean Water Act Process AMD in WV

Clean Water Act: Passed by Congress – October 18, 1972 Objective - To restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biologic integrity of the Nations waters. Perhaps the Laboratory & Consultant Enrichment Act?

The CWA ingredients... Water Quality Standards for waterbodies Impaired waterbodies on 303(d) list Implement through Watershed Approach TMDLs- define and allocate control responsibility NPDES PERMITS Monitoring NPS Restoration

e.g. Aquatic Life, Contact Rec.

Integrated Report Due every 2 years Satisfies CWA 303(d) and 305(b) requirements 303(d) Section out for comment til May 7, 2008

Categories of Waters Category 1- Meeting all uses Category 2 – Meeting some, others unknown Category 3 – All uses unknown (unmonitored) Category 4 –Impaired for a use; TMDL complete Category 5 – Impaired for a use - TMDL needed (the 303(d) list)

2008 Integrated Report Summary Designated Use Support Category 5 18% Category 1 19% Category 2 7% Category 3 41% Category 4 15%

Primary Impacts Mine Drainage Bacterial Contamination Biological Impairment (Sedimentation/Habitat) Acid Precipitation

N ~ 200

TMDLs

TMDL Development in WV

Chronology of a Typical TMDL – 4 year process –Noticing of TMDL candidate watersheds –Informational meetings and call for data –12 months WQ monitoring/source tracking –Model Selection & Development –Draft TMDL w/ public meetings –Finalization, EPA approval –Implementation

DEP TMDL Process HGA (2004 TMDLs) EPA approved January 2005 (Up. Kanawha, U Ohio North) HGB (2005 TMDLs) EPA approved (Coal, North Branch) HGC (2006 TMDLs) EPA approved (Gauley, Potomac DD) HGD (2007 TMLs) darned close (New, Greenbrier) HGE (2008 TMDLs) (Dunkard, Twelvepole, Yough., U Ohio South underway) HGA2 (2009 TMDLs) Cheat and Lower Blackwater watersheds HGB2 (2010) Elk – monitoring underway

Acid Mine Drainage Acute and Chronic effects –~ 550 Streams –~ 2500 miles Considerable work on passive technology, but silver bullet lacking

Listing AMD in WV ArcGIS Project done earlier this year SO 4 >50 mg/l; conductivity greater than 400 umhos/cm –AML Data Sheets –TMDL Source Tracking –Other sampler field notes –Active Mining 473+ Streams

What gives - 550, 473, 469, 850??? Depends - on criteria used and data availability

Top 10 lists...

AMD Not all Bad News! Middle Fork Blackwater River Cheat River AML Reauthorization

Questions...