Acid Mine Drainage Remediation Projects
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Acid Mine Drainage Remediation Projects |
The Cambria County Conservation & Recreation Authority was created to fill a need for a limited liability organization of local government to assume responsibility for ownership and remediation of acid mine drainage sites in Cambria County. The Authority acts as the implementation arm for SCRIP, Stonycreek,
Conemaugh Rivers
Improvement Project, and other watershed groups in Cambria County including
the headwaters of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and Blacklick Creek
(Conemaugh River Tributary).
The Authority works closely with and utilizes staff of the Cambria County Conservation
District and assistance from the Geology Department of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and the Biology Department of St. Francis College in Loretto for technical assistance on projects. The Authority is currently active in 3 projects on the Little Conemaugh River, 1 project on a tributary to the Conemaugh River and 1 on the Blacklick Creek.
 | Acid Mine drainage projects currently in the works involve passive and semi passive treatment. Most projects are currently located on the Little Conemaugh River watershed (40% of Cambria County) because a comprehensive study of discharges and pollution loads conducted by the county from 1992 thropugh 1995 allows us to prioritize work there and design remediation systems. The study mapped streams and discharges and accumulated over 700 samples with flow measuresments. The data obtained is essential to designing passive treatment systems. Currently a similar joint study is being conducted by the Clearfield and Cambria County Conservation Districts on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. |
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Acid Mine Drainage Remediation Projects of the Authority include:
Bear Rock Run Acid Mine Drainage Remediation - Washington Township Treatement Areas Completed and Working! Gray Run Acid Mine Drainage Remediation - Lower Yoder Township Sulfur Creek Acid Mine Drainage Remediation - Adams Township Webster Mine Remediation - Nanty Glo Borough - Blacklick Creek St. Michael Pump Storage / Water Treatment Project - Adams Township
Acid Mine Drainage problems in the Little Conemaugh River have developed over the past 150 years. The steep ravines and exposed outcrops of call permitted gravity drains of the early mines. This made coal mining very economical by avoiding the need for pumping. It also created the problem we have today with over 150 seperate discharges within a 30 square mile area. It will take us many years to restore a river that has been dead for more than a century. Our current projects represent the first step. We are challenged to find partners and resources for this immense task and to develope a level of understanding locally, and on a state and national level which will create a priority for the resolution of this problem.
The Firm of Jenkins & Quinn, Transportation Specialists, acts as
administrator for the Authority.
They can be contacted at:
1334 Franklin St. Johnstown, PA. 15905,
phone:
814-536-6615
or Fax: 814-536-5076
or by e-mail at 
jqka@Third-wave.com
Contact Harold Jenkins or Michael Quinn
The Cambria County Conservation District provides technical expertise and assistance on Authority projects.
They can be contacted at:
phone:
814-472-2120
or by e-mail at cccd@twd.net
Contact Rob Piper, District Manager,
or Jaqueline Ritko, County Geologist
Cambria County Conservation & Recreation Authority Home Page
or visit
 | Stonycreek Conemaugh River Improvment Project Home Page for a more comprehensive explanation of the acid mine drainage problem in the Upper Conemaugh River watershed. |
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William.Barbin@ctcnet.net