Earth ID: 30059

Mountaintop Mining, West Virginia

Released on July 10, 2013

These images illustrate the growth of the Hobet mine in Boone County, WV as it moves from ridge to ridge between 1984 and 2015. The natural forested landscape appears dark green, creased by steams and indented by hollows. Active mining areas, however, appear off-white and areas being reclaimed with vegetation appear light green. The law requires coal operators to restore the land to its approximate original shape, but the rock debris generally can’t be securely piled as high or graded as steeply as the original mountaintop. There is always too much rock left over, and coal companies dispose of it by building valley fills in hollows, gullies, and streams. While the image from 2015 shows apparent green-up of restored lands, it also shows expanded operations in the west. The resulting impacts to stream biodiversity, forest health, and ground-water quality are high, and may be irreversible.

This image illustrates the growth of the Hobet mine in Boone County, WV as it moves from ridge to ridge between 1984 and 2015.

For More Information

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/hobet.php

Credits

Marit Jentoft-Nilsen (Global Science and Technology, Inc.): Lead Animator
Mark Malanoski (GST): Project Support
Amy Moran (Global Science and Technology, Inc.): Animator

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

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Missions:
Landsat
LDCM: Landsat Data Continuity Mission

Data Used:

Landsat-5/TM

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Landsat-7

http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/wrs.html

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Landsat-8/OLI/Band Combination 2,3,4 also referred to as: True Color

Observed Data

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This item is part of this series:
World of Change

Keywords:
SVS >> HDTV
DLESE >> Human geography
DLESE >> Physical geography
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Human Dimensions >> Land Use/Land Cover
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Human Dimensions >> Land Use/Land Cover >> Land Management
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Land Surface >> Land Use/Land Cover >> Land Resources
SVS >> Hyperwall
NASA Science >> Earth
SVS >> Presentation

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0