WVGES: CATS Environmental Geology, Fall 2001--November 5 Notes

	Geoscience Education in the Mountain State:
	CATS Earth Science Connections III
	Environmental Geology Telecourse

Weekly Course Notes: November 5, 2001 (Show 7)

Outline

Dr. Deb and Dr. Bob

Break

Dr. Jack and Dr. Bob

Ground Water in Coastal Regions
Coastal Regions of the United States
- Leading Edge
- Trailing Edge
- High Energy
- Low Energy
Hurricanes and the Outer Banks of North Carolina

Preview of Show #8: November 12---Mineral and Energy Resources and the Environment

Buffalo Creek Disaster
Statistics
- 118 people found dead
- 4,000 people homeless
- 1,100 injured
- Seven people never found
The Buffalo Mining Company (a subsidiary of the Pittston Coal Company)
- 1957: Began dumping "gob" into Middle Fork
- 1960: First dam at the mouth of Middle Fork
- 1966: Second dam 600 feet upstream
- 1972: Third dam was finished 600 feet upstream (45 feet high)
- Middle Fork became a series of black pools
Flooding
- 1967: Slight breach in one dam created flooding
- 1971: Dam three failed, but dam two held the water; State cited Pittston
February 26, 1972
- Heavy amounts of rain had been falling and water was rising behind the dams
- The previous night, a company official monitored rising water hourly behind the highest dam; no residents were warned.
- At about 8:00 AM, an equipment operator noted water had breached the top and the dam was "soggy"
- 132 million gallons of black water took out the lower two impoundments
Aftermath
- Three groups found Pittston Coal Company had violated safety precautions
- Pittston officials claimed it was an "Act of God"---too much rainfall
- Circuit court grand jury fails to indict Pittston
- Governor Arch Moore proposed the construction of 750 housing units
- Seventeen model homes and 90 apartments were constructed