Stream Monitoring and Data Collection

This confidential coal mining client is among the nation’s top energy companies.  The client mines more high-Btu bituminous coal than any other producer in the United States, and is the nation’s leader in underground coal mining.  The client has operations located throughout major U.S. coal-producing regions and is the largest producer of coal bed methane in the U.S.  For 140 years, the client and its predecessor companies have been industry leaders in production, profitability, safety, and environmental stewardship.

The client retained HMM to manage, continuously develop, and improve its extensive program of compliance monitoring and reporting of the streams that overlie longwall coal mines that the client operates. HMM helped the client develop and implement its systems, techniques, and analysis of its program and data. HMM assisted in the management and development of a study of the streams that overlie longwall coal mines, including studying and documenting the streams’ flows, geomorphology, hydrology, and noting any changes in streams or the surrounding ecosystem.  The accurate and consistent collection of the data was critical to the integrity and quality of the study.  The end result was a significant amount of field data that accurately portrayed the streams and watersheds of the mining surface areas. 

Project Highlights

Project Development – The project development was undertaken by client and HMM teams.  The data collection, entry, and data management were critical to the success of the study.  Additional areas of development included:

• Stream data collection techniques and equipment evaluation
• GIS and GPS data collection and organization
• Landowner contacts and area logistics
• Project Scheduling and Information Exchange
• Web-based access to data

Data Collection – Work included setting up flow monitoring stations along designated sections of streams within the study areas being long-wall mined.  Over 600 different flow-monitoring stations and more than 144 mi per month of stream morphology were uploaded into Trimble Geo XH sub-foot GPS units and traversed every month.  These units were then used to navigate to each individual site of study.  Once sites were located, stream flow measurements, water samples, and digital photos were taken.  Any changes along the length of stream in the geologic rock structures, stream channel conditions, or stream flow were documented, photographed, and filmed and entered into the GPS.  The stream flow measurements were taken using a Marsh-McBirney Flo-mate 2000.  All flow-monitoring sites were monitored monthly at a minimum and daily on a maximum basis.  All field data collected was entered into a large data base where the data can be queried and printed for the clients at any given time for regulatory agencies, historical record, or research for expansion in new permit areas.

Landowner Contacts and Logistics – Managing the landowner contacts, issues, and incidents was essential to the continuity and success of the project.  HMM coordinated this activity with the client’s land agents and many other consultants being used by the client.

Project Scheduling and Information Exchange – All HMM field teams and other field teams were scheduled using an open web based system developed by HMM called File Share.  Mapping, documents and data can be shared and exchanged using the File Share system.

Web Based Access to Data –HMM assisted the Client in developing an extensive web based data access system.