[Wildcatk23]

The majority of coal seams mined by surface mining methods can not be mined by underground methods.

Could the fact that we had 3 to 5 inches of rain have anything to do with memorial day flood of 2004. If I remember correctly all areas E. Ky and S. Wv. flooded not just the ones where surface mining occured?

The memorial day flood of 2004 was started by the 3 to 5 inches of rain. It was upgraded a notch when 2 Strip mining ponds that were very unstable due to the lack of concern by the coal industries broke loose and flooded almost every home up Emily Creek, Wolfe Creek, And pigeon roost. Had the ponds not been there or even been maintained properly the flood would not have been as bad for that area.