Coalbed methane development in Alabama: biological and hydrological conditions of streams draining the Cedar Cove degasification field. Topical report (Final), January 1985-June 1986

The development of methane gas from coal seams is a growing industry in Alabama. Current environmental regulations allow land and stream disposal of the produced waters under National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permitting regulations. Environmental concerns associated with produced waters are the effects of high chloride and iron concentrations on the biology and chemical regime of the receiving stream. The goals of this study were to characterize produced waters and receiving streams and to analyze stream impacts resulting from operation of a coalbed-degasification field. Results of the study indicate that the chemical regime of smaller streams is distinctly changed due to either runoff or discharge of produced waters whereas larger streams greatly modify the effect. In streams where active discharge of produced waters occurred, coal surface-mine runoff had already significantly affected the integrity of biological communities. Our results indicate, however, that the addition of produced waters to the stream created no significant additional degradation to the already stressed biological system.