Simulation of rainfall-runoff response in mined and unmined watersheds in coal areas of West Virginia

This book presents a rainfall-runoff watershed model used to predict possible hydrologic effects of coal mining in small Appalachian basins: model results indicate significant changes in streamflow patterns. Total annual runoff is reduced because of surface-and subsurface-flow losses to ground water: these losses would reduce medium to moderately high flood flows, negligibly affect extreme high flows, and significantly increase the amount and duration of low flows during dry seasons.