| Abstract: | Suspended solids contamination caused by runoff below a working colliery in the Upper Clydach catchment in South Wales, U.K., was investigated in relation to hydrological controls. Field studies over a 16 month period found that concentrations below the colliery ranged from 4 to 8028 mg 1?1. Simple correlation and linear regression analysis of spot and storm event samples taken below the colliery gave a correlation coefficient of 0·39 between flow and suspended solids concentration. Because of the lack of explained variance, a multiple linear regression model of within-storm concentrations was derived using four selected independent variables. X1 the time relation of the sample to the storm peak; log X2 the stormflow at the time of sampling; log X3 the baseflow at the time of sampling; and log X4 an index of the storm intensity. Analysis of the entire dataset gave an R2 of 0·34. When the results from three atypical events were excluded however, the R2 value improved to 0·65. Beta coefficients indicated that rising limb conditions (X1) and intense storms (log X4) along with dry antecedent conditions (log X3) represent the worst combination of hydrological factors for producing suspended solids contamination. |
