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Mining cause of sulphate pollution in the Spree
The Spree has significantly higher sulphate loads, which in the opinion of a recent expert opinion are largely due to inputs from active lignite mining and the so-called remediation mining. The Institute of Water and Soil Uhlmann in Dresden had prepared the report on behalf of the "LMBV Lausitzer and Mitteldeutsche Bergbau-Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH", which serves as a restructuring carrier several former mining areas in the region. According to the experts, the observed sulphate loads in 2014 were so high in the meantime that "the drinking water production of the Briesen waterworks from bank filtrate was endangered".
Many German rivers show significant contamination due to active mining. For example, the salinization of Werra and Weser has been critically discussed for decades as a result of potash mining. The water of the Spree, however, is heavily contaminated with sulfate due to the lignite mining in the Lausitz. For the first time, sulphate concentrations of more than 600 milligrams per liter were measured here at Spremberg-Wilhelmsthal in 2014, benefiting from persistently low discharges.
Although the Spree makes a very natural and healthy impression in many areas, the river carries significant concentrations of sulphate. (Image: pure-life-pictures / fotolia.com) Sources of sulfate entry
According to the experts, the sulphate pollution is largely due to the discharge from coal-mine mine water treatment plants, the discharge of cooling tower effluent from lignite-fired power plants and the discharge from mining oil lakes. In addition, the entry from mining contaminated streams II order and from various drainages in local layers, which were built to ward off the consequences of Grundwasserwiederanstiegs play a role. In addition, there are diffuse groundwater inlets, which transport sulfate into the Spree.
Sulphate pollution largely caused by mining
Overall, a mean sulphate load of 178,000 tonnes per year was reported for the Spree in Spremberg-Wilhelmsthal, with the experts reporting that around 34,000 tonnes per year (19% of the total) originate from the natural background load. A total of 113,000 tons per year (63 percent of sulphate pollution) are attributable to inputs from active lignite mining and the associated energy production and another 31,000 tons per year (17 percent) to the reorganization mining of the LMBV. As averages for the sulphate entry along the entire Spree, the appraisers have calculated that natural background pollution accounts for 16 percent, while remediation mining requires around 30 percent of the entry, and active lignite mining including the associated energy generation 54 percent.
Water quality suffers from the consequences of lignite mining
The mining activities have therefore led to a massive deterioration of water quality in the Spree. These are so far-reaching that they can be associated with usage restrictions such as the exclusion of drinking water. According to the experts, no further dramatic increases in sulphate pollution are expected for the future, as long as the planned sulphate-reducing measures are consistently implemented. However, a significant reduction in stress is also not expected. (Fp)