Water Quality

There are many substances that affect stream health.

Nitrates are very important to stream health as they are necessary for plant growth. This also means that it can be very dangerous. Excess levels of nitrate can cause excess algae blooms, blocking sunlight from reaching the plants underwater and restricting their ability to conduct photosynethesis and create more dissolved oxygen.

Another important factor is pH. Most creatures can only live in moderate levels of pH, about 6.5 and 8.5. Any more acidic or basic and stream life can suffer.

Conductivity is the measurement of how well water conducts electricity. Because pure water is a poor conductor, we use conductivity to measure the amount of total dissolved solids, which can also block sunlight or affect the quality of water for stream life.

Turbidity is also very important because it measures the clarity of the water. Water that becomes too turbid blocks sunlight, and can limit plant's photosynthesis and DOC output.

Dissolved oxygen content is one of the most important indicators of stream health. Like land creatures, underwater creatures need oxygen to survive. Oxygen is much more limited underwater. Fish and other life need certain levels of oxygen to survive underwater. Plants produce oxygen through photosynethesis. It is also added through ripples on the water's surface.

Temperature is also very important because of DOC levels. If water is too hot, oxygen evaporated, leaving less oxygen for creatures to breath. The colder the water is, the more oxygen it can hold.

Alkalinity is the measure of a streams resistance to pH/acidity. This is very important. Waters that are too acidic can cause fish to die, and as acidic substances are added to the streams naturally, the water must resist it. Alkalinity is high in area near limestone.

E-coli is often released when fertalizers are introduced to areas near streams and run-off into the stream water. This can harm people who eat creatures from the stream and recieve kidney damage.

Opposing mountaintop removal

"Reclaimed" mining site

     Mountaintop removal is a mining method that creates hazardous living conditions and is often executed poorly. In mountaintop removal, the tops of mountains are blasted off and the overburden is placed in surrounding valleys. Mining then extracts the coal from the surface, before attempting to restore the original contour of the mountain. This reclamation (1) is often done poorly and creates large expanses of unusable land, often even repelling the natural wildlife. When executed, reclamation also (2) does not provide the variety of habitats or fauna that the original landscape provides.Even when reclamation is executed properly, overburden placed in surrounding areas (3) contaminate water sources, such as streams, that often provide the only water source to surrounding towns.

Mountaintop removal site

     Mountaintop removal also (4) eliminates jobs. Fewer miners are used because of mechanization and the easy access to the seam of coal. It also harms the nearby communities. Nearby communities are subject to (5) air and (6) noise pollution associated with the production of coal and blasting, respectively, and the health hazards it provides. They are also subject to an (7) increased chance of dangerous and unpredictable accidents, such as rock falls that may be caused by blasting.

Blasting site

     While there are some benefits to mountaintop removal, the negative consequences are far too great to be ignored. For more information, visit: http://ilovemountains.org/

Supporting Mountaintop Removal

A past mountaintop removal site used to develop a golf course

Disclaimer: I don't agree with Mountaintop Removal. Many of this advantages are disputed because of execution.
    Mountaintop removal can be a beneficial economic decision in many locations and situations. In mountaintop removal the top of a mountain is removed to access the coal seams underneath, before the original contour of the mountain is re-established through reclamation.  Reclamation is a necessary and required part of the mountaintop removal process and

Thriving reclamation site

all sites must have an extensive plan for the land after the process. In many situations, leveled land can be used for economic development, helping to stimulate surrounding communities' economies. Reclamation, when executed properly, enables land used for mountaintop removal to become as prosperous and varied as the original land and natural habitats.
     Mountaintop removal creates more mining jobs. Because of the planned and hesitant nature of approving mountaintop removal sites, sites are only designated when no other mining method is possible or safe, increasing the amount of coal mined and thus, the mining jobs created. Because the coal is removed from the surface, it is also much, much safer for miners.

Mountaintop removal creates jobs

     Finally, mountaintop removal is easy and profitable, mining coal quicker, safer, and cheaper for larger profit. For more information, visit: http://www.archcoal.com/environment/reclamation.aspx