Oct 8, 2009 5 min read

Tests on the latest water samples from Dunkard Creek reaffirmed the presence of golden algae in amounts known to have caused fish kills in other states, according to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. The West Virginia and Pennsylvania environmental protection departments and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continue to investigate the link between the golden algae bloom and the thousands of dead fish and mussels found in the creek in early September.

Dead fish and mussels were found in 30 miles of the creek from Monongalia County, W.Va., to Greene County, where the stream flows into the Monongahela River.

Rust-colored, cloudy water was first reported following a Sept. 18 helicopter flyover of the south fork of the West Virginia fork of the creek.

The following week, the West Virginia DEP identified the discoloration as a golden algae bloom.

Information and statements from the West Virginia and Pennsylvania DEPs and the EPA indicate that two Consol Energy mines might have played a part in creating an environment in the creek that caused the algae to grow.

Golden algae requires brackish, or salty, water to grow and water samples from the creek taken at and downstream of Consol’s Blacksville No. 2 mine discharge in West Virginia found brackish containing high amounts of total dissolved solids (TDS), said Pennsylvania DEP spokeswoman Helen Hum-phreys.

“The discharge made the water brackish. They are irretrievably linked. That algae can’t even grow in freshwater,” Humphries said.

Samples taken upstream of the mine discharge show TDS levels were “not particularly high,” she said.

The Pennsylvania DEP is cooperating with the West Virginia DEP, which is leading the investigation, Humphries said.

The West Virginia DEP has not determined the source of the algae or what caused it to bloom, but the agency said Consol is aware of the possible impact its discharge has had on the creek.

“Consol understands the significance of this event and is keenly aware of the possible impact of their discharges in this watershed,” said West Virginia DEP Secretary Randy Huffman, who met with Consol officials to discuss the fish kill last week.

Independent scientists hired by Consol determined the algae caused the fish kill, but additional studies are needed to pinpoint the source and cause of the bloom, a company spokesman recently said.

Consol agreed to stop injecting coal bed methane gas wastewater into a shaft at its Blacksville No. 1 mine in Greene County. Stopping the wastewater injection will help determine the impact it may have had on elevated discharges of TDS and chloride from the Blacksville No. 2 discharge, according to the West Virginia DEP.

The amount of TDS in the coal bed methane gas wastewater was higher than the amount Consol stated in its permit application, said EPA spokesman David Sternberg. He said Consol voluntarily agreed to halt the wastewater injection.

The EPA issued Consol’s permit to inject the wastewater into the Morris Run No. 1 Injection Well at the Blacksville No. 1 mine in September 2005.

The EPA and Consol are negotiating a consent order to resolve several alleged violations at Morris Run.

Samples from trucks depositing wastewater into Morris Run between September 2007 and March 2009 revealed that at least 100 trucks dumped wastewater with TDS levels that “varied greatly” from the TDS levels in the permit application and wastewater in eight trucks contained E.coli, which could indicate the presence of sewage, according to the EPA’s proposed consent agreement.

The same trucks might have been used to haul septic waste to other treatment facilities, according to the proposed agreement.

An August 2008 inspection found the gate to the Morris Run facility was open, no locks were on the truck offloading valves, no flow or pressure meter was on the line to the well and no company personnel were at the site, according to the EPA.

A preliminary report dated Sept. 14 from the EPA said the outfall from Blacksville No. 2 was the likely cause of the fish kill.

The West Virginia DEP and other agencies have been assembling available scientific information on golden algae and the toxins it produces.

Scientific literature says the golden algae and the toxins it produces are influenced by environmental factors including the water’s pH, temperature, salinity and nutrients.

“We have learned volumes about these algae in a relatively short period of time” said Scott Mandirola, the West Virginia DEP’s director of water and waste management. “My staff has been in contact with researchers in Texas, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Oklahoma. We are grateful for these people taking their time to help us understand and test for this algae.”

Samples of stream insects, or macroinvertebrates, such as hellgrammites, mayflies and caddisflies were taken recently at four locations in the Dunkard Creek watershed. Golden algae is not known to affect stream insects and a sample taken below the Blacksville No.2 discharge does indicate an impaired population of stream insects, according to the West Virginia DEP.

Some test results are still pending. They include an analysis of fish liver, gills and kidney for toxins the algae are known to produce.

In addition, water samples are being shipped to the University of Oklahoma where researchers will attempt to grow the algae in the laboratory.

If it can be cultured, the strain in Dunkard Creek will be analyzed to determine if it is similar to the strains found in Texas.

The West Virginia DEP would then pursue testing to determine methods of controlling or eliminating the algae without use of algaecides.