A study completed by international environmental engineering and consulting firm Tetra Tech, Inc. on behalf of the Independent Oil and Gas Association of PA found natural gas development was only a minor contributor to elevated levels of Total Dissolved Solids in the Monongahela River last fall.
Tetra Tech found that the primary TDS load in the Monongahela River came from abandoned mine discharge, which was realized in high sulfate concentrations. Drilling activity accounted for approximately seven percent of the total TDS concentrations detected in the Monongahela River in October 2008 and decreased to less than one percent by December 2008.
Increases in river flow rates and reductions in discharges from abandoned mines appear to be the most significant factors that contributed to the reductions in TDS concentrations between October and December 2008. Changes in TDS levels associated with restricting the discharges of drilling wastewater at municipal wastewater treatment plants along the Monongahela River were negligible compared to these other factors. (Click here for full report.)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(
Atom
)
No comments :
Post a Comment