Most soils on the Allegheny Plateau, where shale-gas development is concentrated, are acidic, rocky, shallow and of poor fertility, the study points out.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. Across the Appalachian Plateau in Pennsylvania, 50 to 70 percent of shale-gas pads are being developed on slopes that could be prone to erosion and sedimentation problems, according to researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. The potential for erosion problems is substantial because of the extensive scale of the shale-gas play, said Patrick Drohan, assistant professor of pedology, who was the principle investigator in a recently concluded 12-month study of the hydrologic implications of gas-well development and its effect on the plateau's landscapes and soils. "Even though between 50 and 70 percent of the pads are being constructed on soils and slopes at risk for excess water movement and erosion, that doesn't mean all sites are having problems," he said. "It just means that we have identified a large number of sites that have to be watched because there could be trouble if state Department of Environmental Protection best-management practices to limit erosion and sedimentation are not implemented quickly or effectively." About 10 percent of locations where pads are built occur in high-risk locations for surface erosion and resulting sedimentation due to slopes greater than 8 percent, the study found. Drohan worries about such areas every time there is an intense rain event. "Perhaps a statewide weather forecasting system for predicting the 24- to 72-hour risk of heavy rains - which could result in erosion and sedimentation - might help land managers and gas companies that are developing such areas to avoid problems," he said.
TO READ THIS ARTICLE, CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT
And extend your reading, free of charge and with no commitment.
