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Northeastern Section - 48th Annual Meeting (18–20 March 2013)

Paper No. 1
Presentation Time: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM

DECLINE IN PERFORMANCE OF AN AMD PASSIVE-TREATMENT FACILITY IN CLINTON COUNTY, PA


KHALEQUZZAMAN, Md.1, PIERSON, Jacob2, WINTERS, Michael3, MURTORFF, Gabe4, LACHHAB, Ahmed5 and NICHOLLS, Phoebe5, (1)Geology & Physics, Lock Haven University, 114 East Campus Science Center, Department of Geology & Physics, Lock Haven University, Lock haven, PA 17745, (2)Geology & Physics, Lock Haven University, 301 West Church Street, Department of Geology & Physics, Lock Haven University, Lock Haven, PA 17745, (3)Geology and Physics, Lock Haven University, Lock Haven, PA 17745, (4)Geology & Physics, Lock Haven University, 401 N. Fairview St, Lock Haven, PA 17745, (5)Earth & Environmental Sciences, Susquehanna University, 514 University Ave, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, mkhalequ@lhup.edu

Acid mine drainage (AMD) plagues most tributaries throughout the heavily forested plateau of the Beech Creek watershed, a north-central PA basin contributing net acidity to the West Branch Susquehanna River. As part of a multi-year, research project, water samples has been collected from PA DEP BAMR’s Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Project, an AMD passive treatment facility, since it went online in the spring, 2006. The 2006-12 field seasons yielded geochemical data from this site, including pH, conductance, net acidity, alkalinity, DO, ORP, Chlorophyll-a, major anions, cations, and several trace metals, from collection and treatment ponds, artificial wetlands, and its natural, down-gradient drainage system. In field season, 2012 two data Sondes were deployed in nearby Flushing Run, and also a downstream location on the Middle Branch of Big Run. The Sondes collected hourly data for a one week providing insight into the relationship between weather and the chemical parameters in the observed streams. Based on the Sonde data, it is also concluded that the effluent water from the treatment facility that runs through Flushing Run negatively impacts the quality of the water in the Middle Branch. Data analyses and field observations demonstrate that the effectiveness of this passive treatment system has drastically declined throughout the six year period. This facility is not achieving its original design goal, specifically--to provide significant water-quality improvement to surface water discharge to the Middle Branch of Big Run. Currently, this facility requires major maintenance in order to return it to original design functionality. As a direct result of this ongoing monitoring program, several concerns have been communicated to the local watershed association and to the PA DEP. The findings of this study also have implications applicable to the standard designs used for other passive AMD-treatment facilities in Pennsylvania and elsewhere.

Session No. 44--Booth# 38

T25. Environmental Geochemistry of Contaminants (Posters)
Tuesday, 19 March 2013: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
Grand Ballroom South (Omni Mount Washington Resort)
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 45, No. 1, p.97
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