'
The acidity of rain in the Finger Lakes Regionof New York State and at the Hubbard
Brook Experimental forest in New Hampshire is illustrated by low pH values during
1970—4971 at three sites. Annudl averages, weighted to take into account the
amount of precipitation that fell, Were as follows: Hubbard Brook (June to June):
4.03,- Aurora (August to August)”: 3.91; lthaca (August to August): 3.98. Values of
pH below 5 indicate unusudlly strong acids in rain. Low values have been found in
rain in Massachusetts and Connecticut, as well as in New York and New Hampshire.
calcium and,—nutrients which may be leached from "the sôil;. another is. the
death of sh; a"third is a reduction'in forest growth-[41].
A more ‘localized source of acid pollution is the drainage from both oper—
Ÿable and inoperable coal mines. This changes the quality of water in a number of ways and has seriously affected aquatic life in mine.areas. Acid from
coal mine drainage is primarin due to tlœ.irondisdeor _pyte Which is
found in associationWith coal deposits andwhich becomes exposed to air and
water during mining.
is exposed "to water containing an ade—
.quate amount of oxygen,
aser—ies of chemical reaCtions takeplace Which re—
sult in the.formaüon of iro‘—hydroXide and sulfuric acid.
_
ACid streams are either copper—colored or brown due to the iron
ide which precîpitates (becomes insoluble). Theiron precipitates often. coat
stream bedsand smother bottom life.
'
It has been estimated that 10,500 miles of streams'in the Appalachian area
..
of the eastern United States have been aected by mine drainage; approx—
imàtély half of these have been rendered acidic. Underground mines contribWater ls Not Pure in Nature
555
The acidity of rain in the Finger Lakes Regionof New York State and at the Hubbard
Brook Experimental forest in New Hampshire is illustrated by low pH values during
1970—4971 at three sites. Annudl averages, weighted to take into account the
amount of precipitation that fell, Were as follows: Hubbard Brook (June to June):
4.03,- Aurora (August to August)”: 3.91; lthaca (August to August): 3.98. Values of
pH below 5 indicate unusudlly strong acids in rain. Low values have been found in
rain in Massachusetts and Connecticut, as well as in New York and New Hampshire.
calcium and,—nutrients which may be leached from "the sôil;. another is. the
death of sh; a"third is a reduction'in forest growth-[41].
A more ‘localized source of acid pollution is the drainage from both oper—
Ÿable and inoperable coal mines. This changes the quality of water in a number of ways and has seriously affected aquatic life in mine.areas. Acid from
coal mine drainage is primarin due to tlœ.irondisdeor _pyte Which is
found in associationWith coal deposits andwhich becomes exposed to air and
water during mining.
is exposed "to water containing an ade—
.quate amount of oxygen,
aser—ies of chemical reaCtions takeplace Which re—
sult in the.formaüon of iro‘—hydroXide and sulfuric acid.
_
ACid streams are either copper—colored or brown due to the iron
ide which precîpitates (becomes insoluble). Theiron precipitates often. coat
stream bedsand smother bottom life.
'
It has been estimated that 10,500 miles of streams'in the Appalachian area
..
of the eastern United States have been aected by mine drainage; approx—
imàtély half of these have been rendered acidic. Underground mines contribWater ls Not Pure in Nature
555