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Research about Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2023

Predicting methane emissions and developing reduction strategies for a Central Appalachian Basin, USA, longwall mine through analysis and modeling of geology and degasification system performance

Coal mine methane is a safety concern in active mines due to explosion risk and an environmental concern due to the greenhouse gas (GHG) properties of methane emissions to the atmosphere. Depending on the mine design and operation, structural and stratigraphic characteristics of the geology, and the properties of coal beds affected by mining, a significant amount of methane can be released during coal extraction. These emissions may be low and uniform, but they also can be high and abrupt, if not captured by using pre- and post-mining methods of degasification or not controlled by ventilation during mining. Therefore, emissions should be monitored and predicted accurately for underground safety and GHG reduction. Ventilation and degasification systems should be designed accordingly by taking into account the mine geological properties and the degasification system's performance. This paper presents a comprehensive study to predict emissions and proposes alternatives to reduce emissions in a longwall mine extracting metallurgical coal from the Pocahontas No. 3 coal bed in Virginia (Central Appalachian Basin), USA. The work focused on mining activity in four adjacent panels through analysis and modeling of geology and evaluation of the performance of the methane control system. Results showed that the mine geology contained a significant amount of gas within and around the panel areas, which was controlled by utilizing different degasification methods besides ventilation during mining. The study showed that after pre-mining degasification using fractured vertical wells and in-seam horizontal wells, each panel potentially contained ∼19 MMscf and ∼ 2 MMscf of gas remaining to be handled by the gob gas ventholes (GGVs) and the ventilation, respectively, per acre of mining. It was shown that extending the pre-mining degasification duration of vertical wells by as much as 4 years or drilling more horizontal wells with closer spacing could significantly reduce ventilation and gob emissions during the mining of coal.

Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia↗
USGS2017

Evaluation of physicochemical and physical habitat associations for Cambarus callainus (Big Sandy crayfish), an imperilled crayfish endemic to the Central Appalachians

1. Crayfish represent one of the most imperilled animal groups on the planet. Habitat degradation, destruction and fragmentation, introduction of invasive crayfishes, and a lack of applied biological information have all been identified as agents thwarting crayfish conservation. 2. Cambarus callainus was warranted federal protection by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in April, 2016. As part of the USFWS listing procedure, a survey for C. callainus in the Big Sandy River catchment was conducted to determine points of occurrence with a secondary objective of determining reach level physical habitat and physicochemical correlates of C. callainus presence and absence. 3. At each site, physicochemical and physical habitat data were collected to determine the influence of abiotic covariates on the presence of C. callainus . Cambarus callainus presence or absence and associated site covariates were modelled using logistic regression. 4. Survey results recorded C. callainus at 39 sites in the Upper Levisa Fork (ULF) and Tug Fork (TF) drainages of the Big Sandy River; no C. callainus were collected in the Lower Levisa Fork (LLF). An additive effects model of physical habitat quality (Basin + Boulder presence/embeddedness) was the only model selected, supporting an association of C. callainus with slab boulders, open interstitial spaces, and moderate to no sedimentation. All sites lacking C. callainus were experiencing some degree of sedimentation. Physicochemical covariates were not supported by the data. 5. Results indicated that good quality habitat was lacking in the LLF, but was present in the ULF and TF catchments, with ULF supporting the most robust populations and most suitable habitat. Effective conservation for C. callainus should focus on efforts that limit sedimentation as well as restore good quality instream habitat in the greater Big Sandy catchment.

Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia↗
USGS2013

Cambarus (C.) hatfieldi , a new species of crayfish (Decapoda:Cambaridae) from the Tug Fork River Basin of Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia, USA

Cambarus ( Cambarus ) hatfieldi is a stream-dwelling crayfish that appears to be endemic to the Tug Fork River system of West Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky. Within this region, it is prevalent in all major tributaries in the basin as well as the Tug Fork River’s mainstem. The new species is morphologically most similar to Cambarus sciotensis and Cambarus angularis. It can be differentiated from C. sciotensis by its squamous, subtrinagular chelae compared to the elongate triangular chelae of C. sciotensis ; its shorter palm length/palm depth ratio (1.9) compared to C. sciotensis (2.3); and a smaller areola length/total carapace length ratio (30.4% vs.36.5% respectively). Cambarus hatfieldi can be differentiated from C. angularis by its smaller areola length/total carapace length ratio (30.4% vs. 36.7% respectively); a smaller rostrum width/rostral length ratio (59.4% vs. 67.2% respectively); its rounded abdominal pleura as compared to the subtruncated pleura of C . angularis ; the length of the central projection and mesial process of C . hatfieldi which both extend to the margin of the gonopod shaft or slightly beyond the margin compared to the central projection of C. sciotensis and C. angularis where both extend well beyond the margin of the gonopod shaft.

Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia↗
USGS1984

Analysis of characteristics of simulated flows from small surface-mined and undisturbed Appalachian watersheds in the Tug Fork basin of Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia

Hydrologic and climatologic data were collected at 10 small, mined and unmined watersheds in the Tug Fork basin of Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia. These data included continuous records of discharge, precipitation, and air temperature. Daily records of sediment concentrations and sediment discharges were also obtained and periodic observations of water-quality data taken. A compilation of all these data is presented. The observed climatic and hydrologic data from these basins were used to calibrate the U.S. Geological Survey Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System for each watershed. The calibrated models of each basin were then used with a set of nearby, long-term climatic data to simulate a long record of stream-flow. A 68-year record of daily streamflow and 57 years of annual peaks were simulated for each site. These simulated records were analyzed to obtain flood-frequency curves, flow-duration curves, mean-annual discharges, and the 7-day, 10-year low flow for each site. The flow characteristics computed from the simulated records of discharge were analyzed graphically and statistically by regression analysis to investigate the degree of relationship and to define the relationship between mining and runoff. For this sample of small basins, peak flows, discharges for 10- and 50-percent flow durations, and mean-annual flows are directly related to percent of drainage area disturbed (measured from aerial photos) and drainage area. Percent of drainage area disturbed is generally a more statistically significant estimator of discharge than drainage area, particularly for peak flows of higher recurrence intervals.

Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia↗
USGS1982

Investigation of trends in flooding in the Tug Fork basin of Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia

Statistical analysis indicates that the average size of annual flood peaks of the Tug Fork (West Virginia and Kentucky) has been increasing. However, additional statistical analysis does not indicate that flood levels exceeded typically once or twice a year in the period 1947-1979 are any more likely to be exceeded now than in 1947. Possible trends in stream-channel size are also investigated at three locations. No discernable trends in channel size are noted. Further statistical analysis of the trend in the size of annual flood peaks shows that much of the annual variation is related to nearby rainfall and to the "natural" hydrologic response in a relatively undisturbed sub-basin. However, some statistical indication of trend persists after accounting for these natural factors, though the indication is of borderline statistical significance. This suggests the need for further study in the basin that may relate flood magnitudes to both rainfall and to land use.

Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia↗
USGS1980

Interim report on the investigation of flooding in the Tug Fork basin of Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia

An analytical plan is presented for a study of the effects of land-use changes on the magnitude and frequency of flood-peak flows and on sediment characteristics of the Tug Fork in Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia. The plan includes compilation and analysis of available data, collection of new data on small, single land-use drainage areas for deterministic computer modeling, and creation of a computer model of the Tug Fork basin for definition of cumulative land-use impacts. Also presented is a compilation of the available hydrologic data and a description of related studies expected to provide information and data useful to the ongoing work. The data compilation includes: Hourly precipitation for selected days and annual maximum daily precipitation for nine sites, annual maximum streamflow rates and stages for three stream-gaging sites, hourly gageheight and discharge rates for selected storms at four stream-gaging sites, flood profiles, flood-frequency relations, and other streamflow information.

Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia↗
USGS1979

Drainage areas of the Twelvepole Creek basin, West Virginia; Big Sandy River basin, West Virginia; Tug Fork basin, Virginia, Kentucky, West Virginia

This report lists in tabular form: 61 drainage areas in the Twelvepole Creek basin, of West Virginia, 11 drainage areas of the Big Sandy River basin within West Virginia, and 210 drainage areas in the Tug Fork basin of Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Drainage areas were compiled in a downstream direction, at the mouth of all streams having drainage areas of approximately 5 square miles and for sites at U. S. Geological Survey gaging stations. The site or measuring point for each basin can be located by stream mile measured upstream from the mouth, by county, by quadrangle, or by latitude and longitude.

Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia↗