1. Decade-Old and Innovative New AMD Passive Treatment Systems and Reclamation Methods

Coordinator: Margaret Dunn

Saturday, June 5 to Sunday, June 6: Depart 9 am, Saturday morning - Return 5 pm, Sunday evening. Box lunches and snacks provided 1st and 2nd days of the trip. Saturday night dinner on your own.

Minimum 30, Maximum 55

A two-day Feld Tour of sites illustrating various approaches to restore land and water resources impacted by abandoned coal mining activities in Pennsylvania. Described will be “lessons-learned”, upgrades to older systems, and long-term maintenance requirements. The first day highlighted the 13-year old passive system treating iron- and aluminum-bearing acidic drainage and a demonstration of the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative. Resource recovery of manganese-bearing solids was also demonstrated at a passive system in the Slippery Rock Creek Watershed. The evening of June 5 was spent enjoying the beautiful rustic town of St. Mary’s including a Tour of the Straub Brewery, which boasts of an “Eternal Tap” for sampling. Overnight accommodations will be at the Best Western in St. Mary’s PA.

The second day included the Dents Run Watershed in the Pennsylvania Wilds to visit both active and passive systems with a guided Tour by the PA Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation. This two-day Tour was hosted by the PA Department of Environmental Protection, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bennetts Branch Watershed Association, Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition, Stream Restoration Inc., and BioMost, Inc.