CCWA Projects

Coal mining has been a major activity in the Clearfield Creek watershed for more than 100 years. Pyrite in some of the abandoned mines degrades to produce acid mine drainage with high amounts of iron, sulfate and other metals, as well as acidity. The metals, acid and "yellow boy" precipitates destroy the stream bottom environment, killing fish and other stream biota. The water cannot be used for drinking or other purposes. In a cooperative program with the Cambria and Clearfield County Conservation Districts and landowners in the watershed, the Association is surveying the streams for sources of the acid drainage from the abandoned mines, and collecting regular samples to plan a program to remedy this contamination. This Assessment study is supported by funding from the Pennsylvania Growing Greener Program and by the Heinz Foundation.

Steps in this program are -

1. Volunteers walk all streams in the watershed, measuring pH and conductivity, and noting iron precipitation.

2. At sites with appreciable acid drainage, samples are collected monthly and sent to commercial laboratories for analysis of iron, aluminum, manganese, sulfate, acidity, alkalinity, pH and conductivity. The flow at each site is also measured, using weirs or other methods. About 40 sites are now being sampled monthly by Association volunteers.

3. The Assessment Report, planned for summer 2003, will summarize the acid problems of all streams in the drainage and propose methods for treating or preventing the more important acid sources.

4. Funding will be sought from State, Federal, foundation, industry and other sources to construct the required facilities.