RESTORATION OF ABANDONED MINES AND ASSOCIATED WATERSHEDS IN SOUTHEASTERN OHIO

In 1977 there were about 400,000 acres of abandoned surface mined lands and about 600,000 acres of abandoned underground mines in Ohio. While surface reclamation and reforestation has been successful in Ohio they do not address the legacy of acid mine drainage. Over 1300 miles of streams are polluted by mine drainage in Ohio. The Hocking River and Raccoon Creek drainages are particularly troublesome restoration areas They include include numerous sources of acid mine drainage from surface and underground coal mines, tailings and, subsidence-induced stream capture.

Geology of the coal bearing regions definitely plays a part in residual water quality after mining. The Conemaugh and Monongahela groups of Eastern and Northeastern Ohio may produce acid or alkaline mine drainage, but at much lower concentrations than acidity produced by mines in the Allegheny and Pottsville groups. Stream restoration began in 1994 with a comprehensive monitoring and planning process followed by remediation method selection and implementation.

This paper discusses the process of planning large scale stream restoration, the technologies that have been employed, the performance of those treatment systems and the resulting improvements in stream quality. .