Water Management & Policy
Water Management & Policy
Spring 2000
Research Paper #2
Topic:Water impact analysis of a proposed mining operation
Completion:
Grading:Score will be 20% of final grade
Length:10-20 pages
Detail: Describe, analyze, and provide options to a city council regarding a proposed mining operation to be located upstream of the city’s drinking water treatment plant. Use the same city researched for Research Paper #1 as the location of the city water system in this example, unless instructor allows use of another site.
Scenario:A major mining company is proposing to extract minerals from a stream-side location upstream of a municipal water supply system. An open-pit mining process will be used, and groundwater exists at this site. Large sediment piles are proposed to be located adjacent to the stream. The stream is proposed to be dried up during certain times of the year. Aquatic species exist downstream of the proposed mine. Operation of the mine will begin in six months. The local city council has hired you, as president of A-1 Water Consultants, Inc. to provide a
10-20 page report for the town regarding how to minimize or stop the project. They do not know if the city council should support or oppose the proposed project because jobs are scarce in the region. However, environmental impacts could be severe.
Discuss:
- Baseline information and historic background. Provide perspective to the city council on the problem. Include a few paragraphs regarding the city’s existing water supply system.
- Provide background information on aquatic wildlife, habitat, etc.
- Provide background information on the mining proposal (you are encouraged to add additional facts regarding the proposed development to assist in your analysis). The mine could be a gravel pit, a gold mine that uses cyanide heap leach techniques, a limestone quarry, etc. Use a mining operation consistent with your location.
- Federal and state laws that govern mining in the state as they relate to water quantity and quality.
- Potential impacts to the river and the city’s drinking water supply.
Research Paper #2
Page 2
Discuss:
- Legal options for the city - What type of water rights system is used in the state? What types of environmental degradation can the mining company cause? What mining activities would be illegal?
- What questions does the city council need answered? Can you answer some of them now, or is more information needed? What kind of additional information is needed?
- Discuss public opinion, town meetings, legislative options.
- Other topics?
Remember, you’re writing this for a city council that does not understand the mining process, water law, water rights, environmental impacts, or water supply impacts.
Include a cover letter to the city council, and have your report as a separate attachment.
Sources:Internet (state and federal web sites), county planning agencies, state mining departments, state engineer’s office, bureau of mines, city water department, mining magazines, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Division of Wildlife, professors, earth science publications, etc.
Style:Typed, double-spaced, neat, well-written, thoughtful, investigative, informative, written in the form of a consultant’s report to a client. Your client is the city council.
Expectations:You need to do a very good job of considering all aspects of this scenario. You are hired by a city council to give them good advice. Do not provide them with “fluff”, they need facts, laws, regulations, options, and information so they can make a good decision. You may want to use some of Michener’s ideas in Centennial and draw a map, give the mining company a name, provide additional background information on the proposed mining site, geologic history, fossils at the site, etc.