Impact of Gravel Pits
A gravel pit is an open-pit mine to extract gravel. Gravel pits fill with water and form ponds or lakes. Dust and noise from gravel pits can impact health and environment. Contaminants like heavy metals may also enter water and soil.
Environmental Concerns
- Swimming in cold, deep water of old gravel pits is risky due to steep drop-offs, sharp rocks, submerged wire, and industrial waste. Dyeing water black deters tourists visiting toxic waters.
- Groundwater enters gravel pits below water table, increasing contamination risk. Research in Croatia examines biogeochemistry in gravel pits related to groundwater quality. Differences studied using hydrochemical and microbial data. Goal is understanding processes mitigating contamination.
Living Near Gravel Pits
Is it safe to live near a gravel pit? Living near a quarry brings increased risk to the health of people in the nearby communities. Dust generated by quarrying can contain silica, naturally found in certain types of stone, rock, sand, and clay.
Additional Information
Some residents worry the heavy-industrial operations of quarries can negatively impact property values. Large gravel deposits are formed as a result of weathering and erosion of rocks. Gravel pits are known for dust, traffic, noise, and potential health hazards. Quarries fill up naturally from groundwater seeping in and from rain once they’re closed. The deepest part of a quarry is usually the "sump holes" where the pump intakes were located.
Impacts of Gravel Pit Development
The most common impacts of gravel pit development and operations are lack of conservation of reclamation materials, erosion, dust and noise nuisances, impacts to road condition, negative visual aesthetics, and water and soil contamination. Sand and gravel, in its natural state, are not known health hazards. Sand and gravel may produce small particles containing respirable crystalline silica.