Can EU-WFD be Applied to Former Lignite Mining Districts? A Case Study for the Lausitz Mining District (Germany)

For all dumps of closed mining sites within the Lausitz mining district geochemical inventory was determined, considering pyrite oxidation and sulphate reduction. Based on existing groundwater flow models and geochemical inventories, the dissolved mass discharge is calculated using PHT3D. Contaminated area and amount of dissolved sulphate in groundwater is predicted to increase at least until 2025. Therefore good groundwater quality conditions and even trend reversal cannot be expected within the time frame of the EU-Water Framework Directive (EU-WFD). Measures that might significantly improve conditions for the whole region are not at hand. Therefore it might be necessary to define less stringent environmental objectives in terms of the legal framework of the EU-WFD