Appendix F ACID MINE DRAINAGE ABATEMENT AND TREATMENT PLAN FOR THE MOXAHALA CREEK WATERSHED Prepared by: The Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development ACID MINE DRAINAGE ABATEMENT AND TREATMENT PLAN FOR THE MOXAHALA CREEK WATERSHED Andrew Creek Underground mine seep in Bear Creek Highwall in McLuney Creek Iron flocculate deposits in McLuney Creek Prepared by The Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development (ILGARD) At Ohio University Athens, Ohio April 2005 This publication was financed in part by a grant From the Ohio EPA and U.S. EPA under the provisions of Section 319 (h) of the Clean Water Act Moxahala AMDAT Plan 5-3-05 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Appendices...................................................................................................................................vi List of Maps (see map folder)..................................................................................................................vi List of Figures.........................................................................................................................................vii List of Tables.........................................................................................................................................viii Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................................x SECTION I .................................................................................................................................................11 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................11 IDENTIFICATION OF THE HYDROLOGIC UNIT............................................................................11 Watershed Description .......................................................................................................................12 Geology..........................................................................................................................................12 Mining History...............................................................................................................................13 WATER QUALITY ...............................................................................................................................15 Acid Mine Drainage Formation .........................................................................................................15 Ohio Water Quality Standards ...........................................................................................................17 AMD Impacts on Stream Health........................................................................................................20 Moxahala Creek Watershed Restoration Targets...............................................................................20 Target Identification.......................................................................................................................21 Margin of Safety ............................................................................................................................22 Critical Conditions.........................................................................................................................22 Historical Water Quality ....................................................................................................................23 Current Water Quality Assessment ....................................................................................................31 Phase I............................................................................................................................................31 Phase I Field Reconnaissance within Priority Tributaries.........................................................34 Phase II Sampling ..........................................................................................................................35 Biological Health ...........................................................................................................................36 AMD Impacts in Watershed ..........................................................................................................41 SECTION II................................................................................................................................................43 RESTORATION STRATEGY...............................................................................................................43 Andrew Creek ....................................................................................................................................43 Basin Assessment ..........................................................................................................................43 Impacts of Andrew Creek on the Mainstem of Moxahala Creek...................................................44 Water Quality Investigation...........................................................................................................46 1) AC-20 - Howard William Lake project.................................................................................48 2) AC-33 - Sunny Hill #1 underground.....................................................................................49 3) AC-36 - Murph’s Gob pile....................................................................................................50 4) AC-37 - West Hopper Boil....................................................................................................51 5) AC-44 - Gob Pile B Discharge..............................................................................................51 6) AC-29 - Sunny Hill East .......................................................................................................52 7) AC-13 - Andrew South Pits ..................................................................................................53 Treatment Alternatives, Acid Load Reductions, and Cost versus Benefit Analysis......................54 Recommended Treatment Strategy for Andrew Creek Subwatershed ..........................................57 Future Monitoring..........................................................................................................................58 Bear Creek..........................................................................................................................................60 Basin Assessment ..........................................................................................................................60 Impacts of Bear Creek on the Mainstem of Moxahala Creek........................................................60 Water Quality Investigation...........................................................................................................61 1) BR -18 – Lindamood South ..................................................................................................63 2) BR -30 Garcia and Dorsey North Project..............................................................................64 Moxahala AMDAT Plan 5-3-05 iii 3) BR -29 Dorsey Strip pit.........................................................................................................65 4) BR -22– Lindamood Seep.....................................................................................................65 5) BR -26 – Gene Sumner North...............................................................................................66 6) BR -25 – Stort’s Mine North.................................................................................................67 7) BR -15 – Gildee North ..........................................................................................................68 8) BR -13 – Dennis/Chestnut Project ........................................................................................68 Treatment Alternatives, Acid Load Reductions, and Cost versus Benefit Analysis......................69 Recommended Treatment Strategy for Bear Creek Subwatershed................................................72 Future Monitoring..........................................................................................................................73 McLuney Creek..................................................................................................................................75 Basin Assessment ..........................................................................................................................75 Impacts of McLuney Creek on Mainstem of Moxahala Creek......................................................76 Water Quality Investigation...........................................................................................................76 1) ML–20 – Rort Project ...........................................................................................................78 2) ML-14 & 16 Newlon Project ................................................................................................79 3) ML-49 McLuney South Project ............................................................................................80 4) ML-6 Treadway Project ........................................................................................................81 5) ML-38 Tunnel Hill Project....................................................................................................82