ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: Following the breakthrough and release of coal slurry from the Martin County Coal Corporation impoundment near Inez, Kentucky on October 11, 2000 the United States Congress requested the National Research Council (NRC) to examine ways to reduce these types of accidents. The NRC completed their study titled “Coal Waste Impoundments” which identified numerous areas of concern and the committee presented recommendations for improving the design, operation, and safety of coal slurry impoundments. This project addresses the National Research Council’s findings for introducing state-of-practice electronic instrumentation for monitoring parameters within the embankment and slurry pool area of an impoundment. A research project was initiated to design, install, and operate an automatic, remote data collection system for use at a coal waste impoundment. The research objectives included identification of monitoring methods, approaches, and limitations in mountainous terrain and fluctuating environmental conditions.
