Quarries as emergency reservoirs in the greater Atlanta region [1992]

QUARRIES AS EMERGENCY RESERVOIRS IN THE GREATER ATLANTA REGION
Mark E. Hall
OPEN-FILE REPORT 92-2
Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division
Georgia Geologic Survey

QUARRIES AS EMERGENCY RESERVOIRS IN THE GREATER ATLANTA REGION
Open-File Report 92-2
Mark E. Ball
Department of Natural Resources Joe D. Tanner, Commissioner
Environmental Protection Division Harold F. Reheis, Director Georgia Geologic Survey
William B. McLemore, State Geologist Atlanta 1992

QUARRIES AS EMERGENCY RESERVOIRS IN ~BE GREA~ER ATLANTA REGION
ABS~RAC~
Inactive quarries containing water may represent a source of emergency water supplies. During periods of drought, this water could be used to increase public supplies or dilute effluent concentrations in nearby streams. There have been many surface mining operations in the Greater Atlanta region that are now abandoned. In addition, there are active quarries in the area that are forming large cavities capable of containing water in the future when they are abandoned.
All active and inactive quarries in the Greater Atlanta region were inventoried. The inactive quarries were then inspected. Surface mining companies operating in the area provided information about the volume of the active quarries. The investigation revealed six inactive quarries in the Greater Atlanta region which contain water, and twenty-six active quarries forming cavities capable of containing water. The locations of all thirty-two quarries were plotted on a map and the flow-paths from the quarries to the major streams and rivers in the Greater Atlanta region were outlined.
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INTRODUCTION During periods of drought, such as 1980-81, 1986, and 1988, the base flow of the streams in the Greater Atlanta region became significantly reduced. Reduction in base flow can reduce available public water supplies and increase effluent concentrations in the rivers. Abandoned (or inactive) quarries often act as reservoirs that become filled with ground water or trap large quantities of surface water. There are a number of active crushed rock and dimension stone quarries within the Greater Atlanta region (GAR), and over 100 abandoned surface mining operations. A water-filled quarry represents an emergency resource from which water could be pumped into nearby streams to supplement base flow during severe droughts or other emergencies. Active quarries in the region forming cavities capable of containing water should be considered for future use, particularly to augment base flow.
Purpose and Scope The purpose of this study is to provide a list and
location map of quarries in the GAR that contain water for use as large diameter wells and/or emergency reservoirs. In addition, active quarries that have the potential for future
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use as emergency water reservoirs have been identified. The study also indicates those surface water drainages that could be used as conduits for these waters. This information is provided to aid the communities of the GAR in planning the utilization of this hitherto undeveloped source of emergency water. The initial list of sites to be investigated was comprised of 111 inactive and 53 active surface mines.

Area of Study This study was conducted in the Greater Atlanta region
exclusive of the Valley and Ridge Province, as defined by Cressler and others, 1983 (figure 1). The 7186 mi2 study area encompasses all or part of the following counties: Barrow, Bartow, Butts, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Haralson, Heard, Henry, Jasper, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rockdale, Spalding, and Walton.

Physiography and Climate

The GAR falls within eight physiographic districts of the

Piedmont Province (Clark and Zisa, 1976). The districts,

moving from north to south, are: The Cherokee Upland,

Dahlonega Upland, Hightower-Jasper Ridges, Central Uplands,

Gainesville Ridges, Winder Slope, and Greenville Slope

Districts.

Crystalline metamorphic and plutonic rocks

underlie this area.

3

Modified from lnde" to topographic mepa o U.S. Geoloeicel Survey

0

10

20

30

40 MILES

I

I

I

I

I

Figure 1. 7 1/2-minute quadrangles covering the Greater Atlanta Region. From Cressler and others, 1983.

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The area has a mild climate with an average annual rainfall of 47 to 48 inches, which is slightly less than the state average of 54 inches (Cressler and others, 1983).
Major drainage basins in the area include the Etowah, Chattahoochee, Flint, and Ocmulgee Rivers.
Data Sources Information about surface mining activities within the
region and their locations is presented in the following publications, although the subject of quarries as reservoirs is not dealt with directly. A detailed compilation of all active and . inactive surface mines in the GAR appears in a report by McConnell and Abrams (1984). However, the GAR as defined in this report extends 17 miles further south than that of McConnell and Abrams ( 1984). Another report by Steele and O'Connor ( 1987) lists and locates all current surface mining activities in the State of Georgia. Additional information on active mining operations was supplied by the Land Protection Branch of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Precise map locations and field descriptions of active and inactive surface mines are found in The Geologic Atlas of Georgia (Koch and others, open file report).
A feasibility study for the use of the Castle Lake quarry (Cobb County) as a water storage facility was conducted for The Cobb-Marietta Water Authority by an independent consultant.
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Methodology All known inactive and active surface mining operations
in the GAR were identified. The surface mining localities were then investigated to ascertain which ones were waterfilled. This was done by reviewing field descriptions, conducting an aerial survey, and by field investigations on the ground. For active quarries, estimates of quarry volume supplied by the mining companies were used to estimate waterholding potential. The locations of all water-filled quarries and active quarries with water-holding potential were plotted on a topographic map of the GAR and the most reasonable flowpaths from the quarries to major drainages outlined.
Acknowledgments The author would like to acknowledge the surface mining
companies operating in the GAR, and Dr. Philip Karr of the Cobb-Marietta Water Authority for their assistance during this study. I would also like to thank the staff of the Land Protection Branch of the Department of Natural resources. Their willingness to share information made them an invaluable resource. Special thanks also go to co-workers Dave Brackett, Madeleine Kellem, and William Steele for their advice and helpful criticism.
Department of Natural Resources helicopter pilot David Ware gave us a very productive day flying over the GAR, and he
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enabled us to do in one day what would have taken months on the ground.

QUARRIES AS LARGE DIAMETER WELLS

Theoretically, if a quarry intercepts a hydrological

conduit, such as a fracture or permeable layer, and fills with

water, the quarry could then behave much like a large diameter

well. Water could be pumped from such a quarry, and it would

recover by ground water recharge. However all of the

companies that are known to be operating quarries in the GAR

report that the inflow of ground water to these excavations is

insignificant. Furthermore, there is no evidence to suggest

that any of the abandoned quarries in the GAR are

significantly recharged by ground water. These findings are

not surprising when one compares the criteria for siting a

quarry with those for siting a well.

There are three basic criteria for locating quarry sites

in the Georgia Piedmont. The quality of the stone is a

primary concern. Usually the rock must be homogeneous in

composition and texture if sought as a dimension stone. If

aggregate is to be produced, the rock should be

compositionally homogeneous and very competent. The depth of

weathering is also an important factor. The area should have

a shallow weathering profile so that the cost for overburden

removal is low.

Typically quarries are located on

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topographically high areas. Finally, the area must be large enough for the operation to be maintained at a profit.
Two of the criteria often used for siting wells in the Georgia Piedmont are persistent fracturing in the rock and differential weathering due to strong compositional variance. Sites which meet these criteria usually have a deep weathering profile. These ideal well sites are almost always in topographically low areas. Furthermore, most favorable drilling sites in areas underlain by crystalline rock are located near streams.
Quarries are therefore not likely to be located in areas that would make good well sites. Fractured or differentially weathered rock would not be used as a dimension stone. In addition, such sites are unlikely to yield rock that is competent enough to use for aggregate. Surface and groundwater would likely flow into such a quarry in large enough quantities to make the operation difficult and costly, if not impossible.
Inactive Quarries Of the 82 inactive surface mining operations surveyed by
helicopter and field investigations, 6 were discovered to be water-filled quarries (Table 1, Plate 1). Of these six quarries only one contains a significant amount of water. Castle Lake is an abandoned crushed stone quarry located just west of State Highway 41 in Cobb County. The quarry is
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Table 1. Water-filled quarries in the Greater Atlanta region.

LOCATION
(MAP)

COUNTY

PRODUCT VOLUME OF WATER (MILLION GALLONS)

OWNER

Il

COBB

GNEISS

80.0

CASTLE LAKE MOBILE HOME PARK

I2

CHEROKEE SOAPSTONE

1.7

U.S. PIPELINE REALTY

\0

I3,I4,IS,I6

JASPER

FELDSPAR

<1.0

FELDSPAR CORP.

approximately 450 ft. in diameter, 70 ft. deep, and contains an estimated 80 million gallons of water. A feasibility study for the use of the Castle Lake quarry as a water storage facility was conducted for The Cobb-Marietta Water Authority by Post, Buckley, Schuh, and Jernigan, Inc. The study investigates the use of the quarry as a raw or treated water storage facility and shows neither to be economically feasible at this time. The only natural flow-path for water pumped from Castle Lake is Noonday Creek, which empties into Lake Allatoona 10 miles north of the quarry.
A soapstone quarry in Cherokee County contains approximately 1.7 million gallons of water and the feldspar quarries in Jasper County each contain <1 million gallons of water. Reserves of as small as these are not likely to be very useful.
Active Quarries There are 26 active quarries in the GAR that are capable
of containing water when abandoned. The volumes of these quarries are shown in Table 2. The volumes are expressed in gallons in order to illustrate the maximum water-holding potential of the facilities. These volumes collectively range from 13 million to over 8 billion gallons. These quarries are widely dispersed across the GAR and should be considered for future use as emergency reservoirs. An outline of the flowpaths from these quarries (Plate 1) shows that two would
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Table;2 Active quarries in the Greater Atlanta region with water-holding potential.

MAP LOCATION

COUNTY

PRODUCT

EXCAVATION VOLUME (MILLION GALLONS)

OWNER

Al

CARROLL

CHERT

13

BARRY STACEY

A2

CARROLL

GRANITE

542

VULCAN MATERIALS CO

A3

CHEROKEE

GRANITE

912

BLUE CIRCLE AGGREGATES INC

A4

CLAYTON

GRANITE

2607

FLORIDA ROCK INDUSTRIES INC

AS

COBB

GRANITE

8677

VULCAN MATERIALS CO

........

A6 A7

DEKALB DEKALB

GRANITE GRANITE

3129 3813

BLUE CIRCLE AGGREGATES INC DAVIDSON MINERAL PROPERTIES

AS

DEKALB

GRANITE

664

VULCAN MATERIALS CO

A9

DOUGLAS

GNEISS

2509

BLUE CIRCLE AGGREGATES INC

AlO

DOUGLAS

GRANITE

4304

VULCAN MATERIALS CO

All

FAYETTE

GRANITE

782

DAVIDSON MINERAL PROPERTIES

Al2

FAYETTE

GRANITE

3259

FLORIDA ROCK INDUSTRIES INC

Al3

FORSYTH

GRANITE

5508

BLUE CIRCLE AGGREGATES INC

Al4

FORSYTH

GRANITE

78

MARTIN MARIETTA AGGREGATES

Table 2. (continued)

MAP LOCATION

COUNTY

A15

A16

A17

A18

A19

.... A20

IIJ

A21

A22

A23

A24

A25

A26

FULTON FULTON FULTON GWINNETT GWINNETT HALL HALL HALL HENRY NEWTON SPALDING WALTON

PRODUCT
GRANITE GRANITE GRANITE GRANITE GRANITE GRANITE GRANITE MARBLE GRANITE GRANITE GRANITE GRANITE

EXCAVATION VOLUME
(MILLION GALLONS) 1111 1825 3501 2203 7829 2894 1760 220 4172 1695 977 81

OWNER
DAVIDSON MINERAL PROPERTIES MATTHEWS C WCONTRACTING CO VULCAN MATERIALS CO VULCAN MATERIALS CO VULCAN MATERIALS CO BLUE CIRCLE AGGREGATES INC DAVIDSON MINERAL PROPERTIES PHILYAW T A CO INC VULCAN MATERIALS CO BLUE CIRCLE AGGREGATES INC FLORIDA ROCK INDUSTRIES INC DAVIDSON MINERAL PROPERTIES

contribute to the Etowah River basin, eight to the Chattahoochee, five to the Flint, eight to the Ocmulgee, and three to the Oconee River basin which lies outside the study area.
SUMMARY AHD RECOMMENDATIONS Six inactive quarries in the Greater Atlanta region contain water. Of these six quarries, the soap stone quarry in Cherokee County contains approximately 1.7 million gallons of water and the feldspar quarries in Jasper County each contain <1 million gallons of water. Such small quantities are unlikely to be useful as reserve supplies. The remaining quarry, Castle Lake in Cobb County, contains a significant amount of water (approximately 80 million gallons). However, a feasibility study conducted for the Cobb-Marietta Water Authority shows that the use of Castle Lake as a raw or treated water storage facility is not economically feasible at this time. Noonday Creek provides a natural flow-path from Castle Lake to Lake Allatoona. We recommend that an investigation be conducted to determine how the addition of water to the reservoir might benefit the surrounding communities in times of drought. The future use of currently active quarries as emergency reservoirs shows more promise. There are twenty-six active quarries in the GAR that will be capable of containing water
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when abandoned. The volume of these excavations ranges from 13 million to over 8 billion gallons. Of course, the volume of water that these excavations will actually contain will likely be less than these figures.
We recommend that water companies investigate the possibility of future use of active quarries with waterholding potential as emergency reservoirs. The cost of incorporating the water from the quarry into the public supply system must also be considered. The use of natural flow-paths from the quarry may reduce this cost in some instances. If the investigation indicates that the utilization of a site is feasible, the water company could arrange for the purchase of the quarry after mining and reclamation are complete. These arrangements should be made well in advance of the quarries closing to insure the proper reclamation of the site as a reservoir. Steps could then be taken by the mining company, during the "life" of the quarry, to assure future water quality.
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REFERENCES: Clark, W. Z., and Zisa, A. C, 1976, Physiographic map of
Georgia: Georgia Geologic Survey, 1:2,000,000.
Cresler, C. w., Thurmond, c. J., and Bester w. G., 1984,
Ground water in the Greater Atlanta region, Georgia: Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 63, 144 p.
Koch, G. s., Jr., Koch, R. S., Kapatov, A., Geologic Atlas
of Georgia: Georgia Geologic Survey, open file report. McConnell K. I., and Abrams C. E., 1984, Geology of the Greater Atlanta Region: Georgia Geologic Survey Bull. 96, 127 p., 9 pl.
Steel, w. M., and O'Connor, B. J., 1987, Mining Directory of
Georgia: Georgia Geologic Survey Circular 1, 19th ed., 92p.
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DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION GEORGIA GEOLOGIC SURVEY

OPEN -FILE REPORT 92-2 PLATE 1
LEGEND
8A17 Active Quarry /7
-$- Inactive Quarry
'V' Natural Flowpath from Quarry

Natural Flowpaths from Quarries to Major Drainage Basins in the Greater Atlanta Region
Compiled by Mark E. Hall