What’s the solution?

The Coal Authority develops a strategy for each mining block to manage rising mine waters. Within this block, the recommended solution is to pump and treat water from Thorpe Hesley; a further scheme is then likely to be needed to the south towards the River Don.

The scheme at Thorpe Hesley will provide two benefits; it will aid managing rising mine waters in the immediate area and reduce flow to the deeper workings to the south.

To inform the strategy to manage mine water within the block, a pumping test was undertaken between November 2021 and April 2022. This was required to allow assessment of the pumping rates needed and establish the treatment required.

The proposed solution for the Thorpe Hesley scheme is to construct a pumped-passive mine water treatment scheme that will comprise of settlement ponds, reed beds and associated pipework on circa 5 hectares in size located on former agricultural fields to the south of the current Coal Authority compound. The treatment scheme will treat the mine water though the aeration cascade, settlement ponds, reeds with subsequent discharge into the watercourse to the east of the site. A process diagram is presented below:

Once construction of the scheme has finished, we will plant new blocks of trees, bushes and introduce wild flowers to aid in blending the scheme into the surrounding natural landscape. This will also provide new habitats to improve biodiversity and increase wildlife into the area alongside the introduced reed beds. We also plan to introduce bee and beetle banks to further promote biodiversity.

Access tracks around the reed beds will allow the public to enjoy the natural atmosphere of the scheme as well as incorporating the scheme with existing footpaths in the immediate vicinity between the scheme, Wentworth Road and Scholes.