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The project is operating at
full-catchment scale centred on the on the state-of-the-art mine-water
management centre at the National Coal Mining Museum for England (NCMME)
and the selected coalfield in the Jiu Valley, Romania. The main
demonstration components of the project are as follows:
1: Integrated Water Management Centre
The NCMME site is the
operating mine-water management centre for the INWATCO scheme; the
operating centre incorporates the following:
a: Computer control
system
All hydrological and environmental data/information is captured from the
monitoring network and recorded on a real time basis. Once the data has
been captured it is then fed into the specialised hydrological data
management system (Hydrolog software) for subsequent presentation and
analysis. This system allows for continuous monitoring of system changes
and management issues/opportunities.
b: Passive mine-water remediation system
The passive remediation system has been established in order to control
and remediate all abstracted mine-water at the water management centre (NCMME).
The environmentally engineered system is comprised of flow balancing
tasks, settlement tanks, and a network of constructed wetland units.
This system is designed to:
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Avoid import of lime or
chemicals.
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Reduce waste production
and lower impact of surrounding environment.
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Operate in low
maintenance conditions.
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Lower costs over the
long-term.
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Increase mine-water
remediation reliability and water quality at discharge.
c: Groundwater
abstraction facilities
Groundwater pumping facilities at the NCMME and Wooley have been
upgraded in order to provide adequate capacity and flexibility to
control groundwater levels in the demonstration area. The pumping
facilities are large-scale installations in existing abandoned mine
shafts. These pumping systems have given the INWATCO team the
opportunity to demonstrate the impacts and management potential of
changing abstraction regimes.
d: Public exhibition centre
A mine-water management exhibition centre will be establish in a former
shaft building at the National Coal Mining Museum for England (NCMME).
This exhibition centre will allow access to mine-water management
information to all interested parties.
2: Hydrological Monitoring Network
The hydrological
monitoring network is made up of the following:
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Groundwater monitoring
stations
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Water quality
hydrochemical monitoring points
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Groundwater discharge
flow measuring installations
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Pumped groundwater
monitoring stations
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Surface water
monitoring points, and
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Meteorological
monitoring systems.
All groundwater
monitoring systems have been successfully installed and commissioned.
The borehole engineering work was undertaken by a specialised drilling
company and monitoring equipment / software has been installed by
Hydro-logic Ltd.
All monitoring points are mapped on a geographical information system
(GIS). This system has provided the basis for spatial analysis of all
geographical, geological, topographical, hydrological and environmental
information related to the study. The GIS provides an efficient site-map
based characterisation system for use throughout the project.
3: Catchment Management Programme
The catchment management
programme commenced in June 2004 and will continue to project
completion, September 2005. The programme will be based around a number
of key activities which will include the following:
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Pumping test programme
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Intensive emission
water (ground and surface-water) quality monitoring programme
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Tracer test programme
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Rainfall-recharge
response analysis
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Geostructural trends
analysis
Key Deliverables
A key deliverable from the project will be the production of a
comprehensive “Best Current Practice Guide” relating to the management of
water resources in former coalfield areas. The guide will therefore be of
benefit to planning and environmental authorities throughout most European
countries.
It is expected that the project will lead to the development of new data
sets, methodologies and strategic approaches to integrated management of
water resources in former coalfield areas. These developments will be of
value to a wide range of organisations involved in regulation and control
of development, management of water supplies, environmental protection,
mining and construction industries.
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