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WATER RESOURCES PRACTICE LEADERBLACK & VEATCH WATER PAMELA P. KENEL

QUARRY CONVERSION: CRITICAL PLANNING & DESIGN ELEMENTS

DRAFT

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• Benefits of Quarry to Reservoir Conversion• Feasibility Evaluations

• Volume of Storage• Limiting Geotechnical Conditions• Groundwater Interaction

• Program Schedule / Implementation

AGENDA

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1. Re-use of retired rock quarries for beneficial use

2. Limited environmental impacts3. Location in developed and urbanizing areas4. Storage provides climate resilience5. Storage of water for range of purposes

• Water supply operational or emergency storage • Wet weather storage

BENEFITS OF QUARRY RESERVOIRS

"Piedmontmap". Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Piedmontmap.png#mediaviewer/File:Piedmontmap.png

• New Jersey

• Pennsylvania

• Delaware

• Maryland

• Virginia

• North Carolina

• South Carolina

• Georgia

• Alabama

PIEDMONT PLATEAU REGION

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QUARRY RESERVOIR EXAMPLES

Thornton Quarry Reservoir 7.9 BG Elmhurst Quarry Reservoir 4 BG

Travilah Quarry Reservoir 17 BGMcCook Quarry Reservoir 10 BG

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To Answer the Key Questions:• What volume of storage will quarry provide?• Are there existing geological or geotechnical

conditions that may prevent use or limit usefulness?• Potential for negative groundwater interactions?• Potential water quality issues affecting long-term

use?• How to integrate reservoir asset in to the existing

system?

FEASIBILITY EVALUATIONS

WHAT VOLUME OF STORAGE WILL THE QUARRY PROVIDE?

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• Mining plan and future volume• Can mining plan be altered to optimize capacity?• Consider range of scenarios

• To what level can quarry be filled and drawn down?• Ground improvement needs• Groundwater influence• Low level limitations (water quality, physical

pumping limitations)

WHAT VOLUME OF STORAGE WILL QUARRY PROVIDE?

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• Consider range of scenarios in multi-year increments

• Can mining be concurrent with reservoir operation?

• Can mining plan be altered to optimize capacity?

• Can mining plan accommodate timing needs?

MINING PLAN AND SCHEDULE

EN

VIR

ON

ME

NTA

L R

EV

IEW

TRAVILAH QUARRY 1964

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EN

VIR

ON

ME

NTA

L R

EV

IEW

TRAVILAH QUARRY 1981

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EN

VIR

ON

ME

NTA

L R

EV

IEW

TRAVILAH QUARRY 2000

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EXISTING GEOLOGICAL FEATURES OR GEOTECHNICAL CONDITIONS THAT LIMIT QUARRY'S USE AS A RESERVOIR?

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• Geotechnical Impacts• Permeability of rock (floor and walls)

• Geologic and Hydrogeological Assessment:• Geologic mapping• Confirm and identify other major geologic features• Identify quarry seeps and estimated flows• Determine if deleterious rock is present• Confirm quarry sump discharge• Obtain regional groundwater data• Evaluate wall stability and permeability

WILL THE QUARRY HOLD WATER?

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GROUND IMPROVEMENT REQUIRED

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IS THERE POTENTIAL FOR HARMFUL LOCAL GROUNDWATER INTERACTION?

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OPERATING QUARRY IS A SINK

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EN

VIR

ON

ME

NTA

L R

EV

IEW

ENVIRONMENTAL DATABASE SEARCH FOR PAST CONTAMINATION

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GROUNDWATER PROTECTION SYSTEM

CAN THE MINING PLAN BE COORDINATED TO FACILITATE CONVERSION TO USE AS A RESERVOIR?

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• Improve pipeline / tunnel connection constructability

• Maximize capacity• Improve quarry

highwall stability• Improve long-term

reservoir access • Reduce contaminants

from quarry operations

MINING PLAN OPTIMIZATION

PU

MP

STA

TIO

N D

ES

IGN

• Submerged Intake

• Inclined Cans

• Vertical Cans

QUARRY PUMPING STATION OPTIONS

22More economical / potential maintenance issues/ easy to maintain

Dependent on Owner and Operator Coordination

• Steps:• Planning, Feasibility Studies (2-10 years)• Agency Review and Permitting (6mths – 2yrs)• Design (~2 yrs)• Construction (2 -10 yrs)

• Potential Approaches:• Construction Packaging & Phasing• Early Partial Utilization of Quarry

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

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MULTIPLE QUARRIES PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY -TO MINING OPERATION AND FUTURE OWNER

25Investigation of hydropower potential

CONTINUED EVALUATION OF OPPORTUNITIES