Publication 254 West Branch Susquehanna Subbasin May 2008 AMD Remediation Strategy: West Branch Susquehanna Background, Data Assessment River Task Force and Method Development Despite the enormous legacy ■ INTRODUCTION Pristine setting along the West Branch Susquehanna River. of pollution from abandoned mine The West Branch Susquehanna drainage (AMD) in the West Subbasin, draining a 6,978-square-mile Branch Susquehanna Subbasin, area in northcentral Pennsylvania, is the there has been mounting support largest of the six major subbasins in and enthusiasm for a fully restored the Susquehanna River Basin (Figure 1). watershed. Under the leadership The West Branch Susquehanna of Governor Edward G. Rendell Subbasin is one of extreme contrasts. While and with support from it has some of the Commonwealth’s Trout Unlimited, Pennsylvania most pristine and treasured waterways, Department of Environmental including 1,249 miles of Exceptional Protection Secretary Kathleen Value streams and scenic forestlands and mountains, it also unfortunately M. Smith McGinty established the West bears the legacy of past Branch Susquehanna River Task unregulated mining. With Abandoned mine lands in Clearfield County. Force (Task Force) in 2004. 1,205 miles of waterways The goal of the Task Force is to impaired by AMD, it is the assist and advise the department and most AMD-impaired region its partners as they work toward of the entire Susquehanna the long-term goal to remediate the River Basin (Figure 2). At its most degraded region’s AMD. sites, the West Branch The Task Force is comprised Susquehanna River contains of state, federal, and regional acidity concentrations of agencies, Trout Unlimited, and nearly 200 milligrams per other conservation and watershed liter (mg/l), and iron and aluminum concentrations of organizations (members are identified A. Gavin more than 17 and nearly 27 mg/l, by their logos on the back page). respectively. Instream loadings of iron and aluminum downstream of Moshannon It first convened on September 10, Creek – the most AMD-impacted West Branch Susquehanna Subbasin tributary – 2004, and among its early actions, are more than 7,000 tons/year and nearly 5,000 tons/year, respectively. the Task Force recognized the need for a comprehensive AMD Products and Tools of the West Branch remediation strategy for the West Susquehanna Subbasin AMD Remediation Strategy Branch Susquehanna Subbasin. All the water quality data collected for this project are organized in a geodatabase that allows the user to view the data geographically with a combination of layers, including abandoned mine land features, impaired stream segments, A Report Produced by the regional geology, regional land use, political and watershed boundaries, and others. Susquehanna River Basin Commission This geodatabase, in combination with spreadsheet tools, can be manipulated in Partnership with the West Branch by the user to simulate treatment for single or clusters of AMD discharges. This Susquehanna River Task Force. process can be used to calculate instream concentration and loading projections for post-discharge treatment. This technique allows the user to predict potential For More Information, Contact: Thomas Clark, AMD Project Coordinator improvements after restoration strategies are completed, which can be helpful (717) 238-0423 ext. 114 when prioritizing projects. [email protected] This report contains demonstrations on the use of these tools to determine potential remediation strategies for the West Branch Susquehanna Subbasin. These pollutants degrade West Branch Susquehanna Restoration the environment and limit the use of the river as a resource. Initiative and Trout Unlimited J. Zimmerman These losses are not just In 1998, Trout Unlimited (TU), limited to biology, habitat, an organization committed to and recreation, but affect the conservation, protection, and restoration of North America’s human health and the region’s coldwater fisheries, embraced the socioeconomics as well. significance of AMD A long-term goal of fully problems in the Kettle restoring the West Branch Creek Watershed in Clinton Susquehanna Subbasin is County as a component extremely challenging and of its nationally renowned ambitious, especially in light of Home Rivers Initiative. Since then, funding limitations. Members TU has been the lead catalyst, working of the Task Force determined in close partnership with the local Kettle that a coordinated effort will Creek Watershed Association to address be critical, starting with a severe AMD problems that plague the remediation strategy for the lower Kettle Creek Watershed. TU and AMD-affected areas. its partners have conducted numerous The Susquehanna River Figure 1. The Six Subbasins of the Susquehanna River Basin. assessments and developed restoration Basin Commission (SRBC) was plans, completed construction of multiple asked to develop an approach to review the capital cost to treat all sources of AMD reclamation and remediation projects, and remediation alternatives and their impacting the West Branch Susquehanna are currently in the planning phases for impact on improving water quality Subbasin could range from $279 million several more treatment projects and land in the West Branch Susquehanna to $464 million, not including annual reclamation projects through remining. Subbasin. Funding was provided by operation and maintenance associated While still actively involved with TU and Pennsylvania’s Department of with the necessary treatment systems AMD cleanup in the Kettle Creek Environmental Protection (PADEP) (West Branch Susquehanna River Watershed, TU took its AMD remedi- and Department of Conservation and Task Force, 2005). At the funding levels ation work to the next level and Natural Resources (PADCNR). currently available for AMD restoration established the West Branch PADEP Bureau of Abandoned Mine projects, it would take decades Susquehanna Restoration Initiative in Reclamation (BAMR) has estimated that to address all of the West Branch 2004, which is aimed at the restoration of coldwater streams and the ultimate recovery of the West Branch Susquehanna River. As the lead J. Zimmerman non-profit organization for this initiative, TU is working with numerous local, state, and federal government and non-government organizations on a coordinated, strategic, and cost-effective AMD cleanup approach for the entire river basin. TU is also providing organizational support to the West Branch Susquehanna Restoration Coalition, a group that represents the collective efforts of watershed groups, TU chapters, county conservation districts, businesses, and others that are working to address AMD problems throughout the West Branch Susquehanna Subbasin. Amy Wolfe, Abandoned Mine Programs Director, Trout Unlimited Figure 2. Abandoned Mine Land Problem Areas and Abandoned Mine Drainage Impaired Streams in the West Branch Susquehanna Subbasin. 2 Susquehanna Subbasin’s AMD problems. other relevant entities through- Accordingly, SRBC took those factors out the process of developing into account and developed the the West Branch Susquehanna remediation strategy as a guide to help Subbasin AMD Remediation resource agencies and organizations Strategy. achieve comprehensive, region-wide environmental results over the long term. Inventory and Analyze SRBC developed the strategy Water Quality Data - using pre-existing (historical) data SRBC was to compile pre- and information compiled from a existing information related wide range of sources to characterize to water quality using both existing conditions in the West Branch instream data and AMD Susquehanna Subbasin. From the outset, discharge data. PADEP S. Buda the purpose of this strategy was to BAMR and District Mining Winter in the West Branch. avoid duplicating the efforts of other Operations were the two agencies and organizations in their primary sources of information; however, ■ DESCRIPTION problem-identification and problem- other relevant datasets were incorporated OF THE WEST BRANCH prioritization initiatives. Instead, the goal as certain data standards were met. SUSQUEHANNA SUBBASIN was to help identify overlapping goals SRBC designed and maintained the The West Branch Susquehanna and opportunities for remediation database, based on input received from Subbasin drains 6,978 square miles of efforts. To maximize resources, SRBC Task Force members. The database contains all or portions of 22 counties: Blair, coordinated strategy efforts while other subbasin information important Bradford, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, developing a Total Maximum Daily Load to the project, such as extent of active Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Elk, (TMDL) assessment for West Branch and abandoned mining areas, facility Indiana, Jefferson, Huntingdon, Lycoming, Susquehanna River AMD impairments. contact information, and information on the receiving waters. SRBC used all the infor- McKean, Montour, Northumberland, Scope of the West Branch mation gathered for the project to formulate Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Susquehanna Subbasin options when developing the model. and Wyoming Counties. The larger AMD Remediation Strategy developed areas include Bellefonte, Develop a Database, Model, Clearfield, Lewisburg, Lock Haven, The strategy focuses on water quality and Final Report - Montoursville, Renovo, State College, and targets opportunities for improving SRBC was to develop an integrated Wellsboro, and Williamsport. existing conditions. At the outset, SRBC database and model that applies the The West