Publications by authors named "Eric Kessel"
Millions of tonnes of coarse tailings sand are produced every year as a byproduct of the bitumen extraction process in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region. These tailings materials contain residual quantities of mobile solutes, which can be transported through groundwater to downgradient terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The anticipated ubiquity of coarse tailings sand on the post-mined landscape necessitates the characterization of its hydraulic and transport properties.
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- Post-mine reclamation in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region uses tailings sand, which contains sodium (Na), raising concerns about water quality and vegetation in groundwater-fed peatlands.
- The study tracked Na movement from a constructed tailings upland to an adjacent fen peat deposit, revealing that Na concentrations increased in the fen over four years, influenced by precipitation and flow paths.
- The findings suggest the need for salt-tolerant vegetation in the fen to manage Na accumulation, highlighting that layered flow systems can effectively control solute interactions in reclamation efforts.
The hydrological functioning of a constructed fen wetland watershed.
Sci Total Environ
December 2017
Mine reclamation requires the reconstruction of entire landforms and drainage systems. The hydrological regime of reclaimed landscapes will be a manifestation of the processes operating within the individual landforms that comprise it. Hydrology is the most important process regulating wetland function and development, via strong controls on chemical and biotic processes.
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