Watershed restoration through remining in the Tangascootack Creek Watershed, Clinton County, Pennsylvania
Conference
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OSTI ID:349247
- Pennsylvania Geological Survey, PA (United States)
- Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection, PA (United States)
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Geologic Survey are working together to remediate the effects of acid mine drainage. Remining of previously mined areas is a key component of a comprehensive strategy of improving water quality in polluted watersheds. In this new approach sites will be carefully selected on the basis of remaining coal reserves and overburden characteristics. One of the first watersheds targeted was the Tangascootack Creek watershed located in Clinton County near Lock Haven. The Geologic Survey agreed to provide geologic and coal resource maps for this previously unmapped area. This involved conducting field work examining rock exposures. Five cored holes were drilled, and core was examined to develop a geologic framework. Coals from these holes and from highwalls were chemically tested. Strata overlying the coal seams were analyzed using acid base accounting to determine their potential for generating acidity as well as alkalinity. Additional drill hole data and chemical analyses were collected from cooperating mining companies. This information was used to produce a geologic map showing coal crop lines and structure, coal thickness maps, mined-out area maps, overburden thickness maps, overburden geochemistry maps, strip ratio maps, and to estimate the extent of remaining coal reserves. Several significant geologic features were found in the course of mapping the watershed. One is the extreme variability in coal thickness and character of overburden rock. Another is the degree of relief found to be present on the Mississippian-Pennsylvanian unconformity. It is believed that this feature plays an important role in coal and high aluminum flint clay distribution regionally. And finally is the thick occurrence of Loyalhanna Formation calcareous sandstone which is providing a natural source of carbonate for the neutralization of acid mine drainage.
- OSTI ID:
- 349247
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-980985--; ISBN 1-890977-15-2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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