ISSN:
1752-1688
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Architecture, Civil Engineering, Surveying
,
Geography
Notes:
: The Cheat River of West Virginia is impaired by acid mine drainage (AMD). Fifty-five of its river segments were placed on the 303(d) list, which required calculations of total maximum daily load (TMDL) to meet the water quality criteria for pH, total iron, aluminum, manganese, and zinc. An existing watershed model was enhanced to simulate AMD as nonpoint source load. The model divided a watershed into a network of catchments and river segments. Each catchment was divided into soil layers, which could contain pyrite, calcite and other minerals. A kinetic expression was used to simulate pyrite oxidation as a function of oxygen in the soil voids. Oxygen in the soil voids was consumed by pyrite oxidation and replenished by earth breathing. The by-products of pyrite oxidation were calculated according to its mass action equations. Chemical equilibrium was used to account for the speciation of ferrous and ferric irons and precipitation of metal hydroxides. Simulated hydrology and water quality were compared to available data. The USEPA used the calibrated model to calculate the TMDLs in the Cheat River Watershed.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-1688.2003.tb04384.x
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