Completed Projects
Studies
- Gannet Fleming Coddry and Carpenter,
Inc., 1972, Operation Scarlift: Mine Drainage Abatement Measures for the
Shamokin Creek Watershed, Project # SL 113, prepared for the PA Department
of Environmental Resources. Identifies 54 discharges; recommends 5 active
treatment systems and earth-moving for drainage control; not implemented.
This study provided an assessment of the watershed. No water treatment resulted
from this study, and these data, by themselves, are inadequate for planning
passive treatment. (Download 19MB .pdf file)
- Kirby, C.S., 1995, Shamokin Creek Acid
Mine Drainage Assessment, Int. Working Report 001, Bucknell University;
a preliminary assessment by Bucknell University of AMD impact
- Eidem, J. and Moffe, M., 1998, Pretreatment
Assessment of the Carbon Run Subwatershed, Bucknell University Internal
Working Document 002, available in Bertrand Library, Bucknell University,
Lewisburg PA. Click here for a summary.
- Growitz, D. J, .Reed, L. A., Beard,
M. M,, 1985, Reconaisance of Mine Drainage in the Coal Fields of Eastern
Pennsylvania, U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations
Report 83-4274. (Download 2.2MB .pdf file)
- Reed, L. A., Beard, M. M., Growitz,
D. J., 1987, Quality of Water in Mines in the Western Middle Coal Field,
Anthracite Region, East-central Pennsylvania, U.S. Geological Survey
Water-Resources Investigations Report 85-4038 .
(Download 3.9MB .pdf file)
- Becher, Albert E., 1991, Groundwater
Resources in and near the Anthracite Basins of Schuylkill and Adjacent Counties,
Pennsylvania, United States Geological Survey, Water Resources Division,
Water Resource Report 64.
- Rahn, Perry H., 1992, A method to mitigate
acid-mine drainage in the Shamokin area, Pennsylvania, U.S.A, Environm.
Geol. Water Sci., 19, 1, 47-53. (recommends flooding entire drainage
basin to alleviate AMD and put out fires)
- Wood, Charles R., 1996, Water Quality
of Large Discharges from Mines in the Anthracite Region of Eastern Pennsylvania,
U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 95-4243. (Download
2.8MB .pdf file)
- In the spring of 1999, Civil Engineering
students from Bucknell University completed a senior design project for
treatment of Site 42.
- DEP funded wetland enhancement for Sites
38-41 in the Carbon Run subwatershed.
- Moffe, Molly, 1999, Brief
History of the Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance, Bucknell University
Student Project.
- A geographic
information (GIS) database constructed at Bucknell University associated
with the USGS-watershed study is available for download from the Pennsylvania
Spatial Data Access (PASDA) web site. A special thanks goes to PASDA personnel
for helping make this database publicly available
- Cravotta, C. A. III, and Kirby, C.
S., 2004, Effects of Abandoned Coal-Mine Drainage
on Streamflow and Water Quality in the Shamokin Creek Basin, Northumberland
and Columbia Counties, Pennsylvania, 1999-2001, US Geological Survey Water-Resources
Investigations Report 03-4311.
Treatment
- DEP 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Grant
to treat Scarlift Site 42 - approved by EPA and DEP spring
1999. This first passive treatment system in the watershed began successful
operation March, 2000.
- US Office of Surface Mining
grant to treat Scarlift Site 48. The second passive treatment
system in the watershed began successful operation Fall, 2000
- SCRA and NCCD received $454,150
in August 2002 from DEP 319 funds for the installation of a passive mine
drainage treatment system at the Corbin Mine Drift (Scarlift Site 15) along
Route 901 in Coal Township. This fourth treatment system in the watershed
will treat a low-pH, high iron and aluminum discharge that contributes about
5% of the iron to the entire watershed. Construction is planned for summer
2004.
Coal Company Efforts
Completed Projects
- Preliminary assessment of main-stream
and tributaries affected by abandoned mine drainage. Performed by SCRA
volunteers in Fall '98. Click here to see data from this assessment.
- Public meeting, March 2, 2005
to update residents on progress over the last 9 years and explain future
plans; Shamokin Area High School.
- A Bucknell class studying the Anthracite
Region has prepared a 15-minute videotape showing history, causes
and effects of AMD, and methods of treatment. The videotape has been made
available to the SCRA so that it can be distributed to libraries and local
groups for educational purposes. The tape can be copied and distributed
at no cost. Contact the SCRA to borrow the tape (SCRA, PO Box 263, Mt. Carmel,
PA 17851, 717-339-3846 or 717-286-6513, zamboni49@hotmail.com).
- March 9, 2001 submission of a Growing
Greener grant to characterize Scarlift Site 12, the largest mine discharge in the
watershed and examine the use of steel slag for treatment. The proposal
was not funded.
- Northumberland County Planning Commission
received $75,000 for the assessment of the Shamokin Creek Watershed which
was in conjunction with the SCRA and the NCCD. This study will build upon
the USGS-led assessment, broadening the scope to include
stormwater and agricultral effects on the watershed.
- Quaker Run Stream Restoration/Wetland Project Report (.pdf file) by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Current Projects
- Ongoing conversations with landowners
and DEP for potential treatment of Sites 19 & 20, two of the largest
and most visible mine discharges in the region.
- SCRA and NCCD received $64,673 in August
2002 for Acid Mine Drainage Characterization and Treatment Planning at the
Big Mountain AMD Discharges (Scarlift Sites 23-28).
- SCRA,
NCCD, and several partners applied for a Growing Greener grant to characterize
Scarlift Site 21 and plan treatment. A Bucknell Geology student is completing
a senior thesis relating to this Spring 2005 grant application.
- The
Degenstein Foundation funded a proposal to build weirs,
install pressure transducers for measuring flow, and collect two years of
water chemistry data at three of the largest and most likely to be treated
discharges.
Other Ongoing Projects
- Stream bank cleanups - trash removal
- Educational
efforts
- Contacting landowners
- Newsletter
- Fundraising efforts
- Locating sites
- Monitoring of discharges - we can train
you to help
- Treatment implementation - construction
- Development of a comprehensive watershed
plan
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