Hydrologic Characteristics of Surface-Mined Land Reclaimed by Sludge Irrigation, Fulton County, Illinois

摘要

Analyses of water samples collected at four stream-monitoring stations, in an area surface mined for coal and being reclaimed by sludge irrigation, show the principal metals are sodium, calcium, and magnesium and principal non-metals are chloride, sulfate, and bicarbonate. Comparing yearly mean chemical concentrations shows no changing trends since reclamation began, nor are there differences between stations upstream and downstream from the site. Yearly suspended-sediment loads and discharge relations upstream and downstream from the site also show no differences. The water-table surface generally follows the irregular topography. Monthly water-level fluctuations were dependent on the surface material (mined or unmined) and proximity to surface discharge. Analyses of water samples from 70 wells within or adjacent to the reclamation site showed no differences in water quality which could be attributed to sludge or supernatant application.