Abandoned Mine Drainage

Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (WPCAMR)
DEP Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation
Shoup's Run Watershed

Broad Top Township, Bedford County, PA
            Broad Top AMD "Superheroes"  (pdf)

Site SX3D 1, 2, 3 - on 3/28/06 the pH level was 3.1, and on 7/30/06 the pH level was 6.8 
( pictures were taken on 11/2/07)

                                                                                                  
Discharge into 1st settling pond                                2nd pond                                            3rd Pond

                                                    
                  3rd pond                         Water after treatment going into stream

Site SX2D5 - completed the summer of 2007 (pictures taken on 11/2/07)

           

Ponds 1, 2, and 3 (1st pond has Mushroom Mulch to eliminate oxygen, 2nd pond has Limestone to equalize the pH level and a wall for the water to move around, and the 3rd pond is the finishing pond with more Limestone)

The Solar Powered Back Flush Valve - used to occasionally flush out the water for cleaning purposes

Site SX0D16 - under construction (pictures taken on 11/2/07)

Discharge from a mine shaft           1st settling pond under construction                2nd & 3rd pond construction

Shoup's Run Watershed AMD Projects
All Information gathered from the Huntingdon Co. Conservation Office

Minersville (319 - $155,870, upgrade OSM and 319 - $83,000)

Several discharges in the Minersville area were contributing significant amounts of acidity and metals to both the Miller Run and Shoup's Run Stream Corridors.  The Shoup's Run Watershed Association initiated a project to address these discharges as well as a dangerous high wall and illegal dump sites.  Originally a vertical flow wetland was constructed along with a clarifying pond and wetland in 2002.  Then in 2006 with funding from OSM and the 319 Nonpoint Source Program the system was modified to a FeA1Mn bed.  The last water samples taken showed the following water quality exiting the system:

pH - 7.0
Alkalinity - averages 75-98 mg/L
Iron - .37 mg/L
Al - .9 mg/L
Mn - 1.12 mg/L

The average water quality of the seeps being treated is as follows:
pH - 3.7
Acidity - 113.7 mg/L
Iron - 1.46 mg/L
Al - 16.51 mg/L
Mn - 2.34 mg/L

Miller Run #1 and #2 (about $16,000 and 319 - $27,200 to date)

These two discharges contribute loadings of acidity and aluminum to the Miller Run watershed.  The passive treatments for these discharges are a limestone pond followed by a settling basin.  Miller #2 has been completed and Miller #1 will be constructed very soon.  These treatment systems will help restore 1.7 miles of Miller Run to the confluence with Shoup's Run.

Miller Run #1 - Before Treatment                                    Miller Run #2 - Before Treatment

pH - 3.8, 6.8 (after)                                                             pH - 4.0, 7.0 (after)
Iron - 2 mg/L                                                                       Iron - <2.0 mg/L
Al - 4 mg/L                                                                          Al - 2 mg/L
Alk - 0, 5 mg/L (after)                                                          Alk - 0, 18 mg/L

                Miller Run #1

Hartman Run (319 - $29,000)

This project consisted of the reclamation of 3 spoil piles, streambank stabilization and a stream crossing, and will have 4 years of alkaline addition utilizing high calcium carbonate limestone screenings.  This project will restore .75 miles of the Hartman Run watershed.  Project is complete and limestone dosing will continue.

Before Treatment                After
pH - 3.5                                4.2
Alk - 0                                   0

*Note:  Dosing sand has not reached completely downstream to counteract incoming AMD seeps.

Shoup's Run Projects Location Map