Abstract In 2014, the Geological Survey of Austria (GBA) published – in cooperation with further national institutions – an overview map on radionuclides in groundwater, rocks and stream sediments at a scale of 1:500 000 with explanatory notes. In the frame of this activity, the uranium, 228 Ra, 226 Ra, 222 Rn, 210 Pb and 210 Po analyses in groundwater studies made by the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) and Environment Agency of Austria (Umweltbundesamt), as well as the uranium and thorium analyses of stream sediments of the GBA and whole-rock analyses from different sources, were evaluated statistically. Furthermore, the GBA’s comprehensive airborne radiometric data were exploited. The aim of this study was to work out typical spectra of the radionuclide content in the groundwater and aquifers of different geological settings. It appeared that the concentration of 222 Rn in groundwater depends significantly on the uranium content of the aquifer. In contrast to this, the other radionuclides in groundwater did not show a clear correlation with uranium and thorium in the subsurface geology. Concerning 228 Ra, 226 Ra, 210 Pb and 210 Po, the lack of relationship to the subsurface composition seems to be a result of the low concentrations in groundwater. With respect to uranium in groundwater, there is a mixed situation: on the one hand, high uranium concentrations in groundwater can be observed in the Alps in regions with uranium bearing orthogneisses. On the other hand, in sediment basins of NE Austria where the underlying geology contains little uranium. Whether this is caused by special geological features combined with the given low precipitation or by the extensive agriculture (uranium from phosphate fertilizer) is under examination. Concerning the threshold values of the radionuclides in groundwater (radiation), no exceedance could be observed. In spite of this, the concentration of the heavy metal uranium sometimes exceeded the threshold value of 15 µg l −1 : this is especially true for the regions mentioned above. In addition, an attempt was made to compare the Austrian values with data from neighbouring countries. It became clear that only a few published datasets exist that are comparable. Radon analyses of soil gas in the Czech Republic and Bavaria show the same geological patterns as the Austrian radon analyses of the groundwater. In addition, to enable the reader to compare the Austrian data with datasets from other countries, additional tables are included here for all types of data. They show the statistic distributions of different geological classes in a coordinated way. Supplementary material: An Austrian map and explanation notes showing the uranium content of the underground and radionuclides in ground water are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3780170

Although mineral hazards are generally not well established in the public consciousness compared to other natural hazards, they can adversely affect public health and safety and the environment. The term “mineral hazards,” as used here, includes certain naturally occurring earth materials and sites of man-made activities related to them, such as mining and oil drilling. Since the 1990s, the California Geological Survey has conducted many studies of mineral hazards in California in response to an increasing number of requests from government agencies, private industry, and the public. These studies have focused mostly on naturally occurring asbestos, radon, and various metals, such as mercury and cadmium. The mineral-hazard maps and companion reports produced from these studies are typically at statewide and regional scales. They are designed for use by nongeoscientists and geoscientists alike in an effort to educate these groups about mineral hazards and to help in mitigation of those hazards. These products indicate the likelihood of the occurrence of a mineral hazard at a given location, but not the associated health risk. Geographic information systems (GIS) are used to manage and analyze data, and to design the maps. The variety of products developed ranges from traditional paper maps to thematic digital layers for use in a GIS. This range of products increases the likelihood that a greater number of people will use the information. The maps and reports have been used in many applications, and additional applications await development as awareness of mineral hazards and the need for mitigation of them increase.

Abstract Residual sludge from dimension-stone working plants, both from gangue saws with abrasive shot and frame saws, is classified as waste and presents a number of problems for the stone industry. These problems include a fine size distribution, heavy metals and total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) content, all of which impede recovery and reuse. Residual sludge, management of which is administered in accordance with the Italian Legislative Decree 152/06, can be used in waste form for environmental restoration or for cement plants. However, it is also possible that sludge applications could go beyond these limited uses with incorporation of systematic treatment for the production of secondary raw materials (SRM), for example, filler, or for ‘new products’, for example, artificial loam. Such new products or SRM have to be certified not only on the basis of their technical and physical characteristics but also by means of appropriate chemical analyses to guarantee that the products are not contaminated. This paper outlines the results from laboratory and in situ characterization of residual sludge. In particular, three potential applications of sludge either by itself or mixed with other materials were evaluated: landfill waterproofing material, filler material for civil works and artificial soil for land rehabilitation.

Abstract Flood-control reservoirs designed and built by federal agencies have been extremely effective in reducing the ravages of floods nationwide. Yet some structures are being removed for a variety of reasons, while others are aging rapidly and require either rehabilitation or decommissioning. The focus of the paper is to summarize collaborative research activities to assess sedimentation issues within aging flood-control reservoirs and to provide guidance on such tools and technologies. Ten flood-control reservoirs located in Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Wisconsin have been examined using vibracoring, stratigraphic, geochronologic, geophysical, chemical, and geochemical techniques and analyses. These techniques and analyses facilitated: (1) the demarcation of the pre-reservoir sediment horizon within the deposited reservoir sediment, (2) definition of the textural and stratigraphic characteristics of the sediment over time and space, (3) the accurate determination of the remaining reservoir storage capacity, (4) the quantification of sediment quality with respect to agrichemicals and environmentally important trace elements over both time and space, and (5) the determination of geochemical conditions within the deposited sediment and the potential mobility of associated elements. The techniques employed and discussed here have proven to be successful in the assessment of sediment deposited within aging flood-control reservoirs, and it is envisioned that these same approaches could be adopted by federal agencies as part of their national reservoir management programs.

Abstract Base flow water in Leavenworth Creek, a tributary to South Clear Creek in Clear Creek County, Colorado, contains copper and zinc at levels toxic to aquatic life. The metals are predominantly derived from the historical Waldorf mine, and sources include an adit, a mine-waste dump, and mill-tailings deposits. Tracer-injection and water-chemistry synoptic studies were conducted during low-flow conditions to quantify metal loads of mining-impacted inflows and their relative contributions to nearby Leavenworth Creek. During the 2-year investigation, the adit was rerouted in an attempt to reduce metal loading to the stream. During the first year, a lithium-bromide tracer was injected continuously into the stream to achieve steady-state conditions prior to synoptic sampling. Synoptic samples were collected from Leavenworth Creek and from discrete surface inflows. One year later, synoptic sampling was repeated at selected sites to evaluate whether rerouting of the adit flow had improved water quality. The largest sources of copper and zinc to the creek were from surface inflows from the adit, diffuse inflows from wetland areas, and leaching of dispersed mill tailings. Major instream processes included mixing between mining- and non-mining-impacted waters and the attenuation of iron, aluminum, manganese, and othermetals by precipitation or sorption. One year after the rerouting, the Zn and Cu loads in Leavenworth Creek from the adit discharge versus those from leaching of a large volume of dispersed mill tailings were approximately equal to, if not greater than, those before. The mine-waste dump does not appear to be a major source of metal loading. Any improvement that may have resulted from the elimination of adit flow across the dump was masked by higher adit discharge attributed to a larger snow pack. Although many mine remediation activities commonly proceed without prior scientific studies to identify the sources and pathways of metal transport, such strategies do not always translate to water-quality improvements in the stream. Assessment of sources and pathways to gain better understanding of the system is a necessary investment in the outcome of any successful remediation strategy.

Abstract From the early 1900s through the 1950s the Silver Crescent mine and mill processed lead, zinc, and silver from ore found in the Precambrian metasedimentary rocks of the Belt Supergroup. Approximately 150,000 cubic yards of tailings and waste rock were deposited in the floodplain of Moon Creek less than 2 miles upstream of what is now a residential area. The actively eroding tailings impoundments were a source of heavy metal contamination to the surface and groundwater flowing through the site. The U.S. Forest Service began a CERCLA non-time-critical removal action at the Silver Crescent mine in 1998. Removal action goals included reduction of particulate and dissolved metal loading into Moon Creek and local groundwater. These goals were successfully achieved in part by incorporating the tailings and waste rock dumps into an on-site capped repository. The nearly $2 million Silver Crescent removal action construction phase was completed in late 2000 with the final habitat restoration phase scheduled for completion in 2007.

Abstract Human activities impact an estimated 98% of rivers in the United States. This chapter summarizes impacts associated with pioneer societies, commercial activities, and public works. In pioneer societies, individuals or small groups undertake activities such as timber harvest, agriculture, or navigation improvements. Nineteenth-century placer mining of gold along rivers of California's Sierra Nevada is used as a case study. Commercial activities are conducted by groups of people seeking profit through industry, commerce, or agriculture. Commercial activities impacted rivers much more extensively than most activities of pioneer societies. Impacts to water quality, and particularly the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program, provide a case study. Results from the 1991–1995 NAWQA program indicate that approximately half the sites sampled in urban areas have surface-water contamination exceeding levels at which adverse biological effects can occur in aquatic biota. Public works such as dam and levee construction undertaken by local and federal governmental agencies caused massive alteration of river systems. Channelization is used as a case study of the impacts of public works on rivers; more than 56,000 km of waterways were channelized by the Corps of Engineers and the Soil Conservation Service after 1940. The net effect of human activities in the United States has been to disconnect rivers from adjacent hillslopes, floodplains, and valley bottoms, underlying hyporheic and groundwater zones, and from headwaters and downstream processes. Because a connected river is a functioning ecosystem, rather than simply a canal for moving water and sediment, disconnection simplifies and impoverishes the ecosystem. This has resulted in widespread loss of biological diversity in rivers of the United States.