By Dr. Jeffrey A. Simmons, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science, Biology Dept., West Virginia Wesleyan College

The streams, rivers and lakes of West Virginia are counted by many as one of the state's most valuable public resources. We must be watchful that private users do not impinge upon the public uses especially when human and ecosystem health may be threatened.

An informal survey of a number of streams in North-Central West Virginia as part of numerous class projects, community service projects and my research program provides compelling information about the quality of our natural waters. In my opinion the top three water quality concerns in this region are acid mine drainage (AMD), fecal coliform and sediment.

Untreated AMD is fairly uncommon now, but can render streams lifeless from high concentrations of acidity and heavy metals. Currently most AMD is treated to a point where it is no longer toxic before being discharged. Although treated AMD has a higher pH and low metal concentration, it still alters the chemistry of receiving waters by increasing the alkalinity and the concentrations of iron and sulfate. The effects of these pollutants are largely unknown.

Fecal coliform bacteria are indicators of animal and human fecal contamination. Previous sampling in the Buckhannon River watershed indicates that the majority of streams exceed the EPA limits for drinking and swimming waters. This is a human health concern that needs to be addressed more vigorously.

Very little information is available regarding sediment loads in this region, but they are expected to be quite high. Preliminary estimates indicate that the Buckhannon River alone can transport about 1,200 metric tons of suspended solids per day after a heavy rain.

Researchers estimate that acid mine drainage negatively impacts about 10% of the streams in the Northern Appalachians (Herlihy et al., 1990). Untreated AMD is fairly uncommon now, but can render streams lifeless from high concentrations of acidity and heavy metals. Currently most AMD is treated to a point where it is no longer toxic before being discharged. Although treated AMD has a near neutral pH and low metal concentration, it still alters the chemistry of receiving waters by increasing their alkalinity and concentrations of iron and sulfate. The effects of treated AMD on rivers and streams is largely unknown.

Metals and acidity have a major impact on 942 and 656 stream miles in the state, respectively. They have minor to moderate impacts on 1,440 and 379 stream miles, respectively (WVDEP, 1996).

Sixteen sampled streams were divided into four categories: Untreated AMD, Treated AMD, Limed Streams and Undisturbed Streams. Untreated AMD included AMD seeps and AMD-contaminated streams without treatment systems. Treated AMD means that the water was treated by an actively-managed system which included addition of alkalinity and passage through settling ponds. Limed streams were AMD contaminated streams to which crushed limestone was added as a passive treatment (Zurbuch, 1996). Undisturbed streams were streams in which human impacts appeared to be minimal.

The average iron concentration in Untreated AMD (62 mg L-1) exceeded Treated AMD and Limed Streams by a factor of 10 and Undisturbed Streams by a factor of nearly 1,000 (Figure 1). Treatment systems removed more than 95% of the iron as indicated by the much lower concentrations in Treated AMD and Limed streams. However, these reduced iron concentrations were still about ten times higher than those in Undisturbed Streams.

Total Alkalinity was zero in Untreated AMD because of the extremely low pH (Figure 2). After alkalinity was added as part of the treatment system, total alkalinity averaged 48 and 31 mg CaCO3 L-1 for Treated AMD and Limed Streams, respectively. These concentrations were about two to four times larger than the average concentration of Undisturbed Streams.

Thus, it is apparent that although treatment methods substantially reduce the amount of harmful chemicals resulting from AMD contamination, they do not restore a stream to its pre-industrial state. Elevated levels of alkalinity, hardness, sulfate, iron, and conductivity still remain (data not shown). To my knowledge the impacts of treated AMD on aquatic organisms have not been investigated. This is an area that requires investigation.

Fecal coliform bacteria normally inhabit the intestinal tract of mammals and are excreted with feces. Thus, if they are found in natural waters, one can assume there has been recent contamination by animal and/or human feces. This type of contamination is mainly a human health concern because many serious diseases can be transmitted by water.

Wastewater treatment plants can be a source of fecal coliform contamination especially during storm events when many municipal treatment systems are bypassed because of overflow conditions. However, discharges from wastewater treatment plants are strictly monitored and tightly regulated making them relatively minor sources of contamination. The major sources of contamination are likely to be animal farms, residences with leaky septic systems and residences without septic systems. Coliform bacteria have a major impact on 898 miles of streams in the state (W.V.D.E.P., 1996).

The GREEN Club, a student environmental organization, obtained a grant from the W.V. Stream Partners Program to monitor fecal coliform levels in the Buckhannon River watershed during 1998 and 1999. Samples are being collected monthly.

The results of our first monthly sampling were representative of previous fecal coliform data from this river and are illustrated in Figure 3. Coliform counts ranged from 850 per 100 mL in the headwaters to 29,150 per 100 mL in a tributary close to Buckhannon. No more than 200 per 100 mL are allowed by EPA for waters designated for swimming and 0 per 100 mL in waters designated for drinking. During the summer, hundreds of residents wade and swim in the Buckhannon River despite the potentially unsanitary conditions.

Because of the steeply sloping hillsides and fine soil textures in eastern West Virginia, any non-vegetated soil will erode quickly, adding sediment to nearby streams. Very little information is available regarding sediment loads in this region, but they are expected to be quite high. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that erosion in the Appalachian States (about 9 tons acre-1 yr-1) is greater than in any other region of the continental U.S. (U.S.D.A., 1981).

Sediment has a major impact on 895 miles of streams and has a minor to moderate impact on about 1,900 miles of streams in West Virginia (W.V.D.E.P., 1996). Sediment is harmful to aquatic ecosystems because it accumulates in pools smothering insect larvae and fish eggs. Over long periods of time, river and reservoir volume can be reduced significantly. Pesticides and herbicides are carried into water bodies by soil particles where they can enter the food web and affect fish and water fowl. Sediment in streams can also be an indicator of excessive erosion within the watershed. Erosion has a negative impact on agriculture and forestry by reducing soil fertility. Nutrient-rich organic matter and fine soil particles are most easily eroded.

The day after a heavy rainstorm in April, 1998, the total suspended solids in the Buckhannon River was 0.13 g L-1. Based on a conservative estimate of water flow that day, I estimate that about 1,200 metric tons of sediment were transported after that one storm event.

Historically, most remediation and research efforts have been focused on pH and heavy metal impacts. Although the number of streams with these contaminants has been reduced, many streams still remain altered habitats with unnaturally high levels of alkalinity, hardness, sulfate and conductivity. Research effort should be directed towards understanding how these ecosystems will function under these conditions.

The ubiquity of fecal coliform bacteria is a human health concern and may also be indicative of the geographic extent of poverty in our rural areas. Sediment pollution is a regional problem that must be treated at its source. It is not only a water quality issue, but a soil conservation issue.

Non-AMD water quality concerns have been relegated to a lower priority status; however, we must acknowledge and address these other types of water pollution that are just as widespread if not as directly toxic to humans and wildlife.

U.S.D.A. 1981. Soil, water and related resources in the United States: Status, condition and trends. 1980 RCA Appraisal, Part I. USDA. Washington, DC.

W.V.D.E.P. 1996. State of West Virginia: 1993-1995 305(b) Report.

W.V. Division of Environmental Protection, Charleston, WV.

Zurbuch, P. 1996. Early results from calcium carbonate neutralization of two West Virginia rivers acidified by acid mine drainage. 17th Annual W.V. Surface Mine Drainage Task Force Symposium, Morgantown, WV. April 2-3.

The research described herein was made possible with the generous cooperation of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. Funding was provided through grants from West Virginia Wesleyan College, West Virginia Stream Partners Program (W.V.D.E.P.) and the Appalachian College Association.

Personal thanks to the students who helped collect and analyze the samples including Mr. Scott Harris, Mr. Jonah Long, Ms. Sara Pyles and Ms. Tammy Zborel.