Water Quality and Transparency

Temperature in water is highly important.  It regulates living conditions for animals and plants living in water.  For example, a body of water with a cold temperature will have a lower amount of aquatic life, compared to a body of water with warmer temperatures all year round.  Warmer water is the potential living condition for animals, because most animals spawn in warmer temperatures/warmer weather seasons.  Temperature also helps scientists measure other important water protocols, like dissolved oxygen, pH, and conductivity.

pH is simply the measure of how acidic water is.  The pH scale (0.0 - 14.0, with 14 being the highest basic and 0.0 being the highest acidic) measures the amount of hydrogen ion concentration in the water.  The ideal measurement on the pH scale is 7.0, being neutral, because most plants and animals can sustain life easily.  The smallest or slightest changes on the pH scale can drastically change living conditions for living creatures.

Dissolved oxygen measures the amount of molecular oxygen in water.  It does not measure the amount of oxygen in water, but only dissolved water.  Basically, this is to tell how much oxygen is in water to determine if plant and animal life can live there.  If the levels are low, animals and plants can be smothered by the water, making it unlivable.  Cold water can dissolve more oxygen, which is why not many animals (with the exception of tuna and salmon) live in it.

Nitrates are the most important form of nitrogen in water because it promotes growth and reproduction of many pants and algae.  It's pretty limited, considering plants use most of them for growth.  If too much nitrates are in the water, the plants and algae overproduce, which reduces light.  The less light, the less life.

Conductivity measures the water's ability for an electrical current.  It measures by a total of dissolved solids.  Pure water is a poor conductor.

Phosphates are a major source of eutrophication, and is used in fertilizers and detergents.

Turbidity is simply the measure of how clear water is. Large amounts of sediment suspended in the water causes an increase in turbidity, creating a foggy water atmosphere.

E coli is an indicator species in water, found in intestines of warm blooded organisms.  E coli is generally not good for humans and animals, unless it is actually doing its assigned job in the intestines.

Disagreeing with Mountaintop Removal

Mountaintop removal is terrible.  Even though it provides jobs, it is slowly destroying homes, habitats, and health.

• MTM destroys natural habitats and landscapes.  Tops of mountains are literally cut off the mountain, leaving a huge, unwanted gap behind.  
• It screws up water systems.  Product of cleaning and obtaining coal finds its way to streams, killing plant and animal life. 
• Toxic sludge, a product of coal, is "secured" in one area, usually near the site.  This sludge is very harmful, and if it's not contained, can cause serious damage.  See: Southern West Virginia circa 2009.
• Coal is dirty.  It's known as the "dirty" energy source in America.  Coal dust covers homes and landscapes, making air and surroundings dirty.  Since the seams are open, it is easier for the coal dust to spread.
• Due to blasts to obtain the coal, loose rock flies in various directions.  Sometimes, rock can even land on homes.  See: child that was killed because of falling rock. 
• When mountains are no longer needed, coal companies try to "reclaim" them, planting grass, trees and other plant life.  Even then, the plants look different and not as healthy. 
• Like stated earlier, since the seams are open and dust is allowed to fly wherever, more health problems arise in coal communities.  

Meet groups of people who hate MTM just as much as you do!

Favoring Mountaintop Removal

Mountaintop removal is a very controversial issue, especially in the communities that live in it.  Depending on who you ask, some favor mountaintop removal, others do not.

Some perks of mountaintop removal are:

• It provides jobs.  Even though it doesn't provide as much as underground removal mining, people are still employed.  It also pays a pretty good salary, around $50,000 to $60,000 a year.
• MTM is easier to obtain coal than underground mining.  Blasting the seams allows workers to then push the coal to the sides of mountains, rather than hauling it out of the ground. 
• Coal still produces most of America's coal.  At least 50% of the USA still uses coal electricity.  Before America can switch to "clean" energy, coal is the #1 go-to power source.  
• Because America runs on coal, this allows the economy in coal field areas to flourish.  It brings revenue to states like West Virginia and Kentucky.  West Virginia's economy has relied on coal for many years.  AKA: Coal country. 

Click this link to learn how reclamation of MTM is effective!

Winding Gulf Coalfield -- East Gulf Coal Camp

East Gulf coal camp, part of the Winding Gulf coalfield is in Raleigh county in southern West Virginia.

Demographies:

• Native born whites
• Poles
• Italians 
• African Americans
• other European immigrants

Not a specific number for population is listed, but did have 56 deaths during the time the coalfield was operating. 

Coal company owners:

• David T. Ansted (geographer for fields)
• William N. Page (industrialist)
• Actual owners are not listed.*

*Only development areas are listed

List of coal camps in Winding Gulf Coalfield

Dates:

• During the 1970s and 1980s, this area had its "coal boom," when Westmoreland Coal Co. and Eastern Associated Coal Co. were in control. 
• Development for the area started in late 1870s. 

Surface Mining

There are three types of surface mining.

Strip Mining 
Strip mining is used when coal is near the surface or the overburden (surface) is unstable.  It used mainly for when the overburden is unstable, because coal near the surface is not common today, at least in West Virginia.  This technique is commonly used for coal mining only.
Advantages:

• More coal can be produced in a shorter amount of time. 

Disadvantages: 

• Soil and other minerals are basically destroyed in the process. 
• Natural habitats are disturbed. 

Contour Mining 

Contour mining leaves a contour trail in a mountain or hillside.  It looks very much like large steps. 

Advantages:

• Mainly rock and minerals are only mined in contour mining. 
• Uses an open pit to obtain rock and minerals. 

Disadvantages: 

• Very difficult to restore land
• Expensive 

Mountaintop Removal Mining 

Mountaintop removal mining is used to access horizontal coal seams.  Overburden is pushed to areas in higher elevation, to allow easier mining. 

Advantages: 

• Obtains more coal from different parts of a hill or mountain that cannot be reached anywhere else

Disadvantages:

• Harsh to the environment

Underground Coal Mining

There are five types of underground mining.

• Drift mining 
• Shaft mining
• Room and pillar mining 
• Continuous mining 
• Longwall mining 

Drift Mining 

Drift mining is only possible when the coal seam is horizontal with the surface, thus allowing not much digging because it's on the side surface of mountains and hills.
Advantages:

• Easier to obtain coal because it falls down the slope.

Disadvantages:

• When drift mining first started, it was very dangerous because shafts would cave in, causing lots of deaths for miners. 

  

Shaft Mining
Shaft mining the most common type of mining in West Virginia.  Elevators are set on the land's surface and then allows the elevators to go underground.  Miners then dig to get to the coal in the shaft and take back coal to the elevators up to land to be processed.  Miners are at least 1000 feet below the Earth's surface, and is quite dangerous.
Advantages:

• Shaft mining is the deepest form of mining, allowing miners to get coal that is deeper in the Earth's core. 
• The large movement of air helps circulate for miners, but also gets rid of toxic gas buildup. 

Disadvantages:

• Shaft mines are useless after all the coal is taken away from the shafts.  It is easier to shut down the mine, rather than trying to reuse it.  It can be very dangerous. 
• Over time, beams that support the shaft can rot away, causing roof breaks. 

Room and Pillar Mining
This is one of the least effective types of mining coal, considering at least half of the coal mined has to be kept in the ground to support the mine roof.  Pillars supporting the roof can squeeze from pressure, causing a collapse, making Room and Pillar mining quite dangerous.  Roof falls are always a constant danger.
Advantages:

• No major advantages.

Disadvantages:

• It is very ineffective.
• Doesn't make much of a profit. 
• Pillars have to be moved or replaced often, making it unsafe for workers. 

Continuous Mining
In this type of mining, a variety of machines are used for mining, rather than a lot of workers.  There are still workers, but they operate the machines, which is safer.  One miner can operate a rotating steel drum that can process at least five tons of coal per minute.
Advantages:

• The use of machines are enforced.
• The machines do way more work in a small amount of time.

Disadvantages:

• Malfunctions on machines.
• Machine related accidents for miners.

Longwall Mining
This is also known as "retreat mining."  Large mining machines support the underground roof with hydraulics as it removes coal.  When the coal is removed, the roof is then allowed to fall.  Longwall mining is very similar to Room and Pillar mining, but is safer and much more effective.
Advantages:

• Longwall mining is usually used after old room and pillar mines are no longer usable, allowing it to be reused.  

Disadvantages: 

• There have been several reports of surfaces dropping, causing lots of water leakage problems. 

Coal. Nifty stuff.

Coal is and has always been important to American society.  Coal is especially important in West Virginia, considering it is a large part of its economy.

One might wander, how is coal formed or made?
Way back in ancient times, when all land was just Pangaea, marshes and swamps took over the area that is currently West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, along with other countries that share the same ecosystems like England and Ireland.  Dead plants like ferns, would die and fall into the swamp, and would bury into the marsh, causing the ferns and other plants to smother.  Sediment would cover the marsh and dead plant.  With no oxygen and time, the smothered plants became "peat," a type of coal.  Over time, peat would be compressed by at least 80% of compression, making it coal.  It has a very low heat value, and was also used in primarily homes in England and Europe.