Between 1969 and 1983, solid and hazardous waste was deposited at the Old Laurel County and G.C. Singleton Landfills that were developed on a bench created by strip mining for coal. Water-level data from eight monitoring wells indicate that the general direction of groundwater flow in the shallow aquifer is toward Slate Lick, which is at a lower altitude than the landfills. Analyses of water samples from these wells indicate that the water quality near the landfills is similar to that expected in coal strip-mined areas. The pH of groundwater ranged from 4.6 to 6.2 and indicates acidic conditions. Elevated values of specific conductance in groundwater near the landfills may indicate the effects of landfill leachate or acid-mine drainage. The groundwater samples also contained high concentrations of dissolved constituents commonly associated with acid-mine drainage such as aluminum, iron, manganese, sulfate, and zinc. A relatively high concentration of fluoride, 4.5 mg/L, in water from one well may be related to landfill leachate. Except for 3,4-dichloro-benzoic acid, organic constituents were not detected in the groundwater samples. However, because of the widespread use of chemicals containing 3,4-dichloro-benzoic acid, the source of this constituent in the shallow aquifer system near the landfills cannot be determined.
