Quarry Lake in Fremont, California
A quarry lake in an abandoned stone quarry in Kerala, India

A quarry lake, also known as a pit lake, is a lake that is formed after a quarry has been dug through a mining operation.

Formation

During the mining process, water must be emptied. But after the mining operation has been abandoned, groundwater is allowed to seep in, and rainwater collects in the quarry. The depth of a quarry lake is dependent upon rainfall in the region.[1]

Hazards to humans

Water-filled quarries can be very deep, often 50 ft (15 m) or more, and surprisingly cold, so swimming in quarry lakes is generally not recommended. Unexpectedly cold water[2] can cause a swimmer's muscles to suddenly weaken; it can also cause shock, cold water shock[2] and even hypothermia.[3] Though quarry water is often very clear, submerged quarry stones and abandoned equipment make diving and jumping into these quarries extremely dangerous. Several people drown in quarries each year.[4][2] Water-filled quarries can have dangerous electric currents in them that can be deadly under water.[5] Due to the intense rock crushing activity of the former extraction operations especially limestone and silica (particularly asbestos), the water is thickly dissolved with the mineral or granite fine powder thereby making it highly acidic along with heavy metals from the extraction explosives making it poisonous along with the stagnant nature of the water which make it a breeding ground for e. coli. and flesh eating diseases.

Geology.com cites Mine Safety and Health Administration data in saying that between 2001 and 2017, there were 201 drowning deaths in abandoned mines in the United States, or around twelve per year;[2] statistics from the Centers for Disease Control indicate that each year there are 3,960 drowning deaths.[6]

Ecology

Quarry lakes, even lakes within active quarries, can provide important habitats for animals.[7]

An abandoned limestone quarry in Rummu, Estonia.

References

  1. ↑ Chang, Ni-Bin (17 June 2010). Effects of Urbanization on Groundwater: An Engineering Case-Based Approach ... pp. 33–34. ISBN 9780784410783. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Abandoned Mine and Quarry Accidents Claim Several Lives per Year". Geology.com. 2007-11-03. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
  3. ↑ "American Canoe Association explanation of cold shock". Enter.net. Archived from the original on 2012-06-16. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
  4. ↑ "US Dept. of Labor list of mine related fatalities". Msha.gov. Archived from the original on 2012-03-09. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
  5. ↑ "Stay Out - Stay Alive". US Department of Labour. Archived from the original on 1 December 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  6. ↑ "Drowning Data | Drowning Prevention | CDC". 17 June 2021.
  7. ↑ Sievers, Michael (19 May 2017). "Sand quarry wetlands provide high-quality habitat for native amphibians". Web Ecology. 17 (1): 19–27. doi:10.5194/we-17-19-2017. hdl:10072/411143.


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