Hydrology
OSMRE brings over 125 years of collective professional experience to surface and ground water quality and quantity issues. We conduct hydrologic investigations on active and abandoned surface and underground mines for reclamation, permitting and enforcement activities. Our primary focus is supporting state mining programs.
Expertise includes dealing with:
- Flow, storage, yield and discharge of underground mine pools
- Mine drainage quality prediction and assessment
- Mine drainage treatment - active and passive systems
- Water loss and impact assessment from streams, wells and springs
- Water quality assessment and identification
- Mine water control, chemical and passive treatment
- Slope stability and erosion control
Our hydrologists and geologists evaluate each individual project with a combination of field sampling and measurement; reconnaissance; mapping; laboratory testing; and graphical, statistical and modeling techniques. We maintain an array of specialized equipment to conduct field studies including a borehole camera, submersible pumps, geophysical tools, pressure transducers and water quality, flow and level meters.
Focus Areas: OSMRE provides support in three (3) hydrologic-related areas. These areas are listed below, along with examples of mining-related evaluations enabled by our software and equipment.
| Groundwater |
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| Surface Water |
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| Water Quality |
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| Current and Future Direction |
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Hydrology Software and Freeware
OSMRE delivers software, training, and technical guidance on hydrology-related issues. These resources are shared throughout OSMRE and with State and Tribal hydrologists, as well as federal and state SMCRA programs.
AMDTreat+PHREEQC
Acid mine drainage pollution abatement sizing and cost estimating software.
AQTESOLV is a suite of tools estimate aquifer parameters to analyze movement and quantity of groundwater, and to evaluate pump/slug well test results.
AqQA is software for plotting water quality graphs, evaluating water types, and performing simple water quality calculations.
The Geochemist's Workbench is a collection of sophisticated modules for simulating and solving aqueous geochemistry problems.
Groundwater Modeling System converts map data into MODFLOW, MODPATH, and MT3D grid data to solve groundwater flow problems.
Groundwater Vistas is a graphical interface for building, running and analyzing numeric flow models in MODFLOW, MODPATH, and MT3D
HEC-RAS is used to evaluate impacts of floodplain encroachment (flood analysis); for example, delineating the approximate limits of the 100-year floodplain. Effects of structures such as bridges, culverts, and weirs, in the flood plain can be assessed. RUSLE - Soil loss prediction software which includes a suite of modules for determining soil loss factors.
RUSLE is a soil loss prediction software which includes a suite of modules for determining soil loss factors.
SEDCAD is a suite of curve number-based watershed rainfall-runoff models, RUSLE-based sediment yield analysis, and channel and hydraulic structure design utilities.
BETCO (Barometric and Earth Tide Correction) (Sandia National Lab) is a Windows-executable program that removes noise from water levels caused by barometric pressure and Earth tide effects.
GSFLOW (USGS) is a coupled Groundwater and Surface-water FLOW model based on the USGS Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) and Modular Groundwater Flow Model (MODFLOW-2005).
HYSEP (USGS) performs hydrograph separation, estimating the groundwater, or base flow, component of streamflow. The program provides an automated and consistent method for estimating base flow. Any of the three hydrograph-separation techniques of Pettyjohn and Henning (1979) can be used: fixed interval, sliding interval, or local minimum.
MODFLOW is the USGS's three-dimensional (3D) finite-difference groundwater model. MODFLOW is considered an international standard for simulating and predicting groundwater conditions and groundwater/surface-water interactions.
National Streamflow Statistics (USGS) provide simple methods of estimating streamflow statistics, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed and published regression equations estimating the magnitude and frequency of floods for every State, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and a number of metropolitan areas in the United States, and regression equations for estimating other streamflow statistics are available for many states. These equations have been compiled into the National Streamflow Statistics (NSS) Program.
PHREEQC (USGS) is software for Speciation, Batch-Reaction, One-Dimensional Transport, and Inverse Geochemical Calculations.
RORA (USGS) is the computer program RORA estimates groundwater recharge using the recession-curve-displacement method. The method is based on the change in total potential groundwater discharge that is caused by each recharge event.
StreamStats (USGS) is a Web-based tool that allows users to obtain streamflow statistics, drainage-basin characteristics, and other information for user-selected sites on streams.
Visual MINTEQ (USGS) is a freeware chemical equilibrium model for the calculation of metal speciation, solubility equilibria, sorption etc. for natural waters. It combines state-of-the-art descriptions of sorption and complexation reactions with easy-to-use menus and options for importing and exporting data from/to Excel.
WEPP (National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory) model is a process-based, distributed parameter, continuous simulation, erosion prediction model.
Wyoming Hydrology Database
Wyoming has offered to share their Hydrology Database Shell and associated Data Submittal Spreadsheets with other states and the federal programs. This Shell has empty tables already set up where information on groundwater, surface water and precipitation monitoring sites, groundwater level elevation, stream flow, field water quality, lab water quality and precipitation data can be stored. We hope our work and experience in this area may help other programs.
Wyoming Hydrology Database Information [46 KB];
Wyoming Hydrology Database Shell zip file [51 KB]
Data Submittal Spreadsheets:
- Field Water Quality Data.xls
- Lab Water Quality.xls
- Flow Data.xls
- Groundwater Level Data.xls
- Precipitation Data.xls
- Precipitation Stations.xls
- Well Stations.xls
- Surface Water Stations.xls
Other Resources
West Virginia DEP Geologic Handbook
PHREEQCI, WATEQ4F, NETPATH-WIN, PHAST, etc; - http://water.usgs.gov/software/lists/geochemical
AQUATOX, CORMIX, BASINS, MINTEQA2, EFDC, EXAMS, WASP, QUAL2K, etc; - -https://www.epa.gov/ceam/modeling-products-assess-exposures
Hydrology Equipment
The OSMRE technical experts use various equipment within the field. Below is a listing of equipment and its capabilities:
Specific capacity test conducted using a variable flow rate submersible pump.
2” Portable Submersible Pump
Use and Capabilities:
- Able to access 3-inch inside diameter wells and to be lowered to a depth up to 480 feet.
- Variable-speed pump with controller. Pumping rate depends on the lift required, but about 6 gpm is possible at 450 feet.
- Powered by 230 volt AC sources or generators.
- Hydraulically powered reel for raising or lowering the pump.
- Discharge pipe is in 10-foot sections of threaded 1-inch diameter pvc pipe.
- Pump assembly (pump, power and safety cables) is on a rubber tired reel for easy transport.
This pump allows for rapid efficient purging of wells for sampling and for pumping tests.
4" Portable Submersible Pump
Use and Capabilities:
- Able to access 4 inch inside diameter wells and to be lowered to a depth up to 650 feet.
- Variable-speed pump with controller. Pumping rate depends on the lift required, but about two gpm is possible at 300 feet with a maximum yield of 4 to 5 gpm.
- Powered by 110 AC sources or including generators.
- Hydraulically powered reel for raising or lowering the pump.
- Pump assembly is on an integral cart to ease the movement.
This pump is used mainly for purging and sampling of deep wells and mine shafts.
Fultz Pump
Use and Capabilities:
Sampling at discreet levels within an underground mine with a Kemmerer sampler.
- The Fultz pump is backpack mounted.
- Able to access 2 inch inside diameter wells at depths up to 100 feet.
- Powered from batteries or an electrical converter run from a 110 AC source.
- Pumping rates are 2 to 3 gpm at moderate depths (e.g., 50 foot).
It is mainly used to purge and sample smaller diameter shallow depth wells that are located in areas inaccessible to the other pumps.
Kemmerer Sampler
Use and Capabilities:
- Hand held device used to collect water samples at variable depths.
- Consists of a tube with plug ends that are pulled out to the set position.
- Lowered on a rope to the desired depth.
- A metal messenger is attached to the rope and allowed to slide down the rope to the top plug. The impact of the messenger to the top plug springs the trap and the two plugs wedge into their respective ends of the tube sealing it.
- The instrument is raised to the surface and sample water is extracted.
The only depth limit is the length of the rope and the distance that an individual is willing to lower it and then pull it back up.
Bailers
Use and Capabilities:
- Bailers with variable length rope, diameter, and volume are available to purge and sample boreholes and wells.
Surface Water Flow Meters
Portable Flumes
Use and Capabilities:
A family of 1, 2, 4, and 8 inch aperture portable cutthroat flumes. Allows accurate open channel flow measurements from 3 to over 1000 gpm.
Use and Capabilities:
Electromagnetic water flow meters used to perform accurate stream flow measurements. Using the cross-section velocity method large open channel flow is measured on a time-averaged basis
Water Level Indicators
Use and Capabilities:
- A variety of water level meters that can determine water levels up to 1000 feet from the surface.
Water Quality Meters
Hydrograph illustrating specific conductance increases at fracture locations created by integrating data from a conductance meter and a borehole video log.Flaring methane that is migrating from an underground mine into an overlying domestic water well.
Specific Conductance
- Multiple meters, can access depths up to 1000 feet. Beyond the standard use, these meters can be used to perform conductivity and temperature profiles in wells, boreholes and flooded mine shafts to ascertain ground water inflow zones.
Field measurement of various water quality parameters to guide sampling and provide quality control for laboratory analyses.
Dissolved Oxygen
- Digital readouts of dissolved oxygen in percentage and milligrams per liter.
pH and Eh Probes
- Multiple meters.
Gas Meters
- Methane and other explosive gases, CO, CO2, O2, etc.
Water Quality Test Kits
Use and Capabilities:
- Field testing kits for acidity, alkalinity, iron, manganese, sulfate, free ammonia and hydrogen sulfide. Also presence or absence bacteria (iron-related, sulfate-reducing, or slime-forming bacteria) kits.
Water Sampling Equipment
Use and Capabilities:
- Standard complement of filtering equipment and fixing chemicals.
Field Deployable Turbidity Meters
Use and Capabilities:
- These meters are able to be deployed in-stream for weeks at a time recording turbidity and temperature at programed intervals.
Water Level Indicators
Use and Capabilities:
- A variety of water level meters that can determine water levels up to 1000 feet from the surface.
Water Quality Meters
Hydrograph illustrating specific conductance increases at fracture locations created by integrating data from a conductance meter and a borehole video log.Flaring methane that is migrating from an underground mine into an overlying domestic water well.
Specific Conductance
- Multiple meters, can access depths up to 1000 feet. Beyond the standard use, these meters can be used to perform conductivity and temperature profiles in wells, boreholes and flooded mine shafts to ascertain ground water inflow zones.
Field measurement of various water quality parameters to guide sampling and provide quality control for laboratory analyses.
Dissolved Oxygen
- Digital readouts of dissolved oxygen in percentage and milligrams per liter.
pH and Eh Probes
- Multiple meters.
Gas Meters
- Methane and other explosive gases, CO, CO2, O2, etc.
Water Quality Test Kits
Use and Capabilities:
- Field testing kits for acidity, alkalinity, iron, manganese, sulfate, free ammonia and hydrogen sulfide. Also presence or absence bacteria (iron-related, sulfate-reducing, or slime-forming bacteria) kits.
Water Sampling Equipment
Use and Capabilities:
- Standard complement of filtering equipment and fixing chemicals.
Field Deployable Turbidity Meters
Use and Capabilities:
- These meters are able to be deployed in-stream for weeks at a time recording turbidity and temperature at programed intervals.
Hydrology Resources
Surface coal mining and reclamation operations that remove or disturb aquifers must be monitored and analyzed to ensure the reliability and validity of the mining procedures being performed. These resources, references, and research can aid those individuals responsible for meeting this mandate.
- Index of State Climatologist
- National Integrated Drought Information System-U.S. Drought Portal (NOTE: Use this U.S. Drought Portal for current data.)
- NOAA Climate Prediction Center (Drought Monitoring)
- National Climatic Data Center
- US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- USEPA Region 3 - DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV
- USEPA Region 4 - AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN
- USEPA Region 5 - IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI and 35 Tribes
- USGS Water Resources Information
- USGS Water Data: Real-time streamflow data, surface water, groundwater and water quality data
- USGS Kentucky Real-time data
- USGS Maryland Real-time data
- USGS Ohio Real-time data
- USGS Pennsylvania Real-time data
- USGS Tennessee Real-time data
- USGS Virginia Real-time data
- USGS West Virginia Real-time data
- USGS Earthquake Information page
- USGS National Training Center course catalogue
- USGS Water Resources Publications