Since the inception of the partnership between TU and KCWA in 1998 through TU’s national Kettle Creek Home Rivers Initiative, numerous assessments (including hydrogeological studies and airborne remote sensing surveys) were conducted, and nine passive treatment systems, a land reclamation project, and a mine pool stabilization project have been completed.
Amy Wolfe, Trout Unlimited, "15 Years of Assessment, Abatement, and Recovery in the Lower Kettle Creek Watershed: What's Next?"
1. 1
15 Years of
Assessment, Abatement,
and Recovery in the Lower
Kettle Creek Watershed:
What’s Next?
Amy Wolfe
Trout Unlimited
Director
Eastern Abandoned Mine Program &
PA Eastern Brook Trout Habitat Initiative
June 2014
2. 2
Mission
To conserve, protect, and
restore North America's
coldwater fisheries and
their watersheds.
PROTECT RECONNECT RESTORE SUSTAIN
5. 5
Kettle Creek Watershed
• > 90% watershed, 224 sq mi, is
designated as Exceptional Value
water quality (largest in PA)
• Kettle Creek mainstem is one of
PA’s most heavily fished stocked
trout streams, while tributaries
contain some of PA’s most well
known native brook trout streams
• Although completely underlain by
Marcellus shale, majority of
watershed aside from very
headwaters will not be developed
due to natural gas storage deep
wells in the Oriskany sandstone
6. 6
Kettle Creek Watershed - AMD
• Unfortunately 12 miles AMD-
pollution and 1,087 acres of
abandoned mines in very lower
section of watershed
• Deep and surface mines in the
Upper and Lower Kittanning coal
seams
• pH 2.5 – 3.5
• Acidity 200 - 600 mg/L
• Fe 20 – 50 mg/L
• Al 20 – 70 mg/L
Cross Fork
7. 7
Kettle Creek Watershed Association & Trout Unlimited
National TU Home Rivers Initiative (1998-2007)
8. 8
Assessment and Restoration Planning
• Lower Kettle Creek Restoration Plan (2000) by Hedin Environmental
• Kettle Creek Watershed Conservation Guide (2001) by Amy (Gottesfeld)
Wolfe
• Kettle Creek Watershed Dirt and Gravel Road Studies: Cross Fork and Little
Kettle Creek (2001) by Neil Wolfe
• Kettle Creek Watershed Stewardship Report (2001) by The Pennsylvania
State University Watershed Stewardship Center
• Upper Kettle Creek Fish Habitat Conservation Plan (2002) by Larson Design
Group
• Huling Branch Mine Complex: Investigation of Acid Mine Drainage and
Recommendations for Remediation (2004) by Hedin Environmental
• Upper Kettle Creek Fish Habitat Conservation Plan: Tributaries Addendum
(2005) by Larson Design Group
• Twomile Run Watershed AMD Remediation Master Plan (2007) by Hedin
Environmental
• West Side of Lower Kettle Creek AMD Remediation Master Plan (2007) by
Hedin Environmental
• Middle Branch Passive Treatment System Rehabilitation Report (2007) by
Hedin Environmental
• Reassessment of Acid Mine Drainage Pollution in the Twomile Run
Watershed, August – December 2010 (2010) by Hedin Environmental
• KC204 Mine Pool Stabilization Project Report (2011) by Hedin Environmental
12. 12
AMD - The $$$
• TU and KCWA fundraised $3.9 million
in grants since 1998 to study, plan,
and construct AMD projects
• Most recently $12.2 million was
awarded by DEP BAMR for land
reclamation
Grant Source
State (59%)
Federal (22%)
Philanthropy (19%)
13. 13
Collection Systems – Critical Element of Success
• Installed to collect and monitor flow
and chemistry of mine water for
several years
• Important for proper design and
sizing of passive treatment systems
14. 14
Twomile Run Surface Reclamation - 2004
• 57-acre land reclamation
• Vegetable leather tannery byproduct
(WesTan soils) amended with
sawdust and wood chips
• Reduced flow rate of AMD 30 – 50%
• Reduced acidity and Al loading 30 –
40%
• Reduced size and cost of passive
treatment system 30-40% compared
to pre-reclamation levels
15. 15
Middle Branch Passive Treatment System
• DEP BAMR originally designed and
constructed in 2000
• TU/KCWA coordinated autopsy in
2004
• System had no flow controls, too
small, short-circuiting
• System rehabilitation completed in
2007
17. 17
Robbins Hollow Headwaters Passive Treatment Complex
Flow pH Acid Fe Mn Al SO4
gpm mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/
L
RAW Average 3.2 275 30.3 9.9 27.8 499
TREATED
Effluent
Average
19 6.9 -77 0.4 3.6 0.5 372
North Branch System
18. 18
Robbins Hollow Headwaters Passive Treatment Complex
ALD
Flow pH Acid Fe Mn Al SO4
gpm mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/
L
TREATED
Effluent
Average
19 6.9 -80 0.3 0.1 0.3 40
19. 19
Robbins Hollow Headwaters Passive Treatment Complex
EB09 Oxic Limestone Bed
Flow pH Acid Fe Mn Al SO4
gpm mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/
L
TREATED
Effluent
Average
na 6.7 -13 0.1 0.1 0.4 25
20. 20
Robbins Hollow Headwaters Passive Treatment Complex
EB11-12 Oxic Limestone Bed
Flow pH Acid Fe Mn Al SO4
gpm mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/
L
TREATED
Effluent
Average
na 6.7 -23 0.4 0.1 0.2 23
21. 21
Robbins Hollow Headwaters Passive Treatment Complex
EB10-15 Vertical Flow Limestone Beds
Flow pH Acid Fe Mn Al SO4
gpm mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L
RAW
Average
3.5 3.5 109 0.3 1.4 14.9 156
TREATED
Effluent
Average
na 7.0 -58 0.2 0.3 0.8 93
22. 22
Mine Pool Stabilization Project
• Airborne remote sensing study and
follow-up hydrogeological
investigations identified potential for
severe mine blowout
• Buildup of water in mine due to mine
entry collapses and WPA mine seals
plugged/collapsed
• ~32 million gallons: Acidity = 700 mg/L,
pH = 2.8, Fe = 120 mg/L, Al = 47 mg/L
• Project reestablished water flow
through several collapsed mine adits
by installing drains into mine openings
26. 26
Pipes 1-4 Passive System
Flow pH Acid Fe Mn Al SO4
gpm mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L
RAW Historical
Average
16 3.0 330 17.1 15.7 39.5 737
TREATED
Average
Effluent
7.6 -167.7 <0.10 5.5 0.4 429
27. 27
Area 7 “Three-Fingered Devil” Reclamation Project
• Backfill 6,000 L.F. of 40-40 ft dangerous
highwall
• Add 369,900 tons alkaline material to
acid spoils during grading
• Remove 136,608 tons crop coal
• Remove of 17,533 tons buried coal
refuse
• Install subsurface and rock underdrains
along with deep mine seals
• Reconstruct 8,560 ft of ATV trails
• 47.4 acres of wildlife habitat grasses
• 48,150 trees
29. 29
Monitoring Biological Recovery
• Annual fish surveys
• Quarterly macroinvertebrates
and water quality sampling
• Native brook trout genetics
• Thermal impacts to coldwater
streams from treatment systems
• Brook trout movement as
streams are restored and
reconnected
30. 30
What is in store for the future of the Kettle Creek
watershed?
• Monitor recovery
• Pursue delisting
• Maintain existing treatment systems
• Complete land reclamation
• Monitor and determine if follow-up
water treatment will be necessary
• Continue work on aquatic organism
passage and fish habitat projects
• Enjoy more fishing opportunities!
32. 32
Thank you!
Amy G. Wolfe
Trout Unlimited
Director
Eastern Abandoned Mine Program &
PA Eastern Brook Trout Habitat Initiative
awolfe@tu.org
570.786.9562
Editor's Notes
Please provide etailed notes about each of the bullet points.
Details about #1.
Details about #2.
Details about #3.
Amy gives slide
Research what the funder wants: Find out everything you can about the funding entity, strategic plans/resource management plans/mission/etc, look into other projects that were funded (is funder big on partnerships, supporting innovative technology, does not like to fund salary/admin so all in-kind/match), geographic focus area, who will be reviewing (technical background? If not, will have to drum down the proposal) etc.
Airborne remote sensing study with DOE NETL, hydrogeological studies, # sites sampled, # groundwater monitoring wells drilled, # test pits dug
Airborne remote sensing study with DOE NETL, hydrogeological studies, # sites sampled, # groundwater monitoring wells drilled, # test pits dug
Amy gives slide
Research what the funder wants: Find out everything you can about the funding entity, strategic plans/resource management plans/mission/etc, look into other projects that were funded (is funder big on partnerships, supporting innovative technology, does not like to fund salary/admin so all in-kind/match), geographic focus area, who will be reviewing (technical background? If not, will have to drum down the proposal) etc.
Amy gives slide
Research what the funder wants: Find out everything you can about the funding entity, strategic plans/resource management plans/mission/etc, look into other projects that were funded (is funder big on partnerships, supporting innovative technology, does not like to fund salary/admin so all in-kind/match), geographic focus area, who will be reviewing (technical background? If not, will have to drum down the proposal) etc.
Amy gives slide
Research what the funder wants: Find out everything you can about the funding entity, strategic plans/resource management plans/mission/etc, look into other projects that were funded (is funder big on partnerships, supporting innovative technology, does not like to fund salary/admin so all in-kind/match), geographic focus area, who will be reviewing (technical background? If not, will have to drum down the proposal) etc.
Amy gives slide
Research what the funder wants: Find out everything you can about the funding entity, strategic plans/resource management plans/mission/etc, look into other projects that were funded (is funder big on partnerships, supporting innovative technology, does not like to fund salary/admin so all in-kind/match), geographic focus area, who will be reviewing (technical background? If not, will have to drum down the proposal) etc.
Amy gives slide
Research what the funder wants: Find out everything you can about the funding entity, strategic plans/resource management plans/mission/etc, look into other projects that were funded (is funder big on partnerships, supporting innovative technology, does not like to fund salary/admin so all in-kind/match), geographic focus area, who will be reviewing (technical background? If not, will have to drum down the proposal) etc.
pH 4.7
Amy gives slide
Research what the funder wants: Find out everything you can about the funding entity, strategic plans/resource management plans/mission/etc, look into other projects that were funded (is funder big on partnerships, supporting innovative technology, does not like to fund salary/admin so all in-kind/match), geographic focus area, who will be reviewing (technical background? If not, will have to drum down the proposal) etc.
pH 4.3
Acidity 30
Fe 2.8
Al 0.8
Wooden trough – the original drain
12” Square clay pipe
Wooden 2” pipe made from one piece of 4x4” lumber
Amy gives slide
Research what the funder wants: Find out everything you can about the funding entity, strategic plans/resource management plans/mission/etc, look into other projects that were funded (is funder big on partnerships, supporting innovative technology, does not like to fund salary/admin so all in-kind/match), geographic focus area, who will be reviewing (technical background? If not, will have to drum down the proposal) etc.
Amy gives slide
Research what the funder wants: Find out everything you can about the funding entity, strategic plans/resource management plans/mission/etc, look into other projects that were funded (is funder big on partnerships, supporting innovative technology, does not like to fund salary/admin so all in-kind/match), geographic focus area, who will be reviewing (technical background? If not, will have to drum down the proposal) etc.
Amy gives slide
Research what the funder wants: Find out everything you can about the funding entity, strategic plans/resource management plans/mission/etc, look into other projects that were funded (is funder big on partnerships, supporting innovative technology, does not like to fund salary/admin so all in-kind/match), geographic focus area, who will be reviewing (technical background? If not, will have to drum down the proposal) etc.
Amy gives slide
Research what the funder wants: Find out everything you can about the funding entity, strategic plans/resource management plans/mission/etc, look into other projects that were funded (is funder big on partnerships, supporting innovative technology, does not like to fund salary/admin so all in-kind/match), geographic focus area, who will be reviewing (technical background? If not, will have to drum down the proposal) etc.