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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Moffe, Molly, 1999, Brief History of the Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance, Bucknell University Student Project.
• 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.
• In the spring of 1999, Civil Engineering students from Bucknell University completed a senior design project for treatment of Site 42.

Treatment

• 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..

Current Projects

• 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Grant submitted by Northumberland County Conservation District with matching from the USGS and Bucknell University. This proposal obtained funds to allow the USGS to perform a watershed-side assessment with help from the Bucknell University and SCRA volunteers. Approved summer of 1999. The first round of water sampling was completed in August 1999; the second round of sampling was completed in March, 2000. Electrofishing was done in October, 1999, and it was repeated in October, 2000. A geographic information (GIS) database constructed at Bucknell University associated with this 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.
• 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.
• DEP to fund wetland enhancement for Site 38-41 and passive treatment of Site 48 in the Carbon Run subwatershed.
• 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.
• Rivers Conservation Grant Proposal submitted by Northumberland County Conservation District with help from the Canaan Valley Institute; funded Spring of 1999. The objective is to fund the development of a comprehensive watershed plan which will address all watershed problems. Problems other than AMD may include nutrient runoff from the agricultural region, sewage, sediment, physical hazards such as mine pits. Data from the assessment above will be used to establish priority sites for treatment based on owners' permission, chemistry, flow, and relative impact of treatment. This grant will also fund educational efforts by the SCRA.
• 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.
• 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 third 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.
• 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).
• 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.

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