Drainage From Mines Threat to All Streams
Washington, PA Observer-Reporter
4 Decmeber 2009
An article in yesterday's newspaper reported that the Environmental
Protection Agency has confirmed earlier findings that toxins created by
a bloom of golden algae were responsible for the massive fish kill in
Dunkard Creek in September. The state Department of Environmental
Protection had come to the same conclusion.
That the algae that is fatal to fish and other gill-breathing organisms
is the cause is not in question. Nor is it unknown what caused the
algae to bloom: elevated levels of total dissolved solids and chloride,
a component of TDS, which created favorable conditions for the algae to
grow and produce toxins. And the EPA has concluded that the TDS and
chloride came from mine drainage, most likely from the Consol
Blacksville No. 2 Mine. What is not known is how such high levels of
TDS and chloride got into drainage for the mines.
It is also known that wastewater from drilling of both methane and
Marcellus Shale gas wells may have been dumped in the Blacksville mine.
The dots are there, but they haven't been connected. A thorough
investigation is called for.
Forty-three miles of Dunkard Creek is dead and will be for many years
to come. Golden algae has now been found in Whitely Creek, although no
fish have been killed as yet. Washington and Greene counties and West
Virginia are peppered with abandoned mines. We have to wonder if
wastewater from gas drilling operations is going into them. Our state
and government agencies had better be making sure that's not happening,
because if we are not careful, there will be no life at all in any of
our creeks and streams.