Montour Run Watershed Association Dedicates McCaslin Road Treatment System

The folks at BioMost, Inc. and participants in the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition have long admired the efforts of the Montour Run Watershed Association and enjoyed working with them on various remediation projects.

Their fourth passive treatment system for abandoned coal mine drainage in western Allegheny County was dedicated in noteworthy ceremonies in November at the Findlay Township Municipal Building.

The new system, the McCaslin Road Mine Drainage Remediation Facility, is located in a former and current storage area in the front yard of the Findlay township Department of Public Works property near the intersection of Clinton and McCaslin Roads just north of Clinton, Pa.

Ceremony speakers from Findlay Township included: Chairman of the Supervisors Tom Gallant, Manager Gary Klingman and Public Works Director John O'Neal. Also on hand to explain the function and construction of the system where Jeff Ankrom and Yan Sheykhet, Quality Aggregates, and Tim Danehy and Margaret Dunn, BioMost, Inc.

Construction of the McCaslin Road Facility is an outgrowth of the Montour Run Watershed Assessment and Cleanup Plan performed under MRWA sponsorship and funding by a Department of Environmental Protection Growing Greener Grant. Conducted between 2001-2003, the assessment evaluated the impact of discharges from abandoned coal mines in the 37 square mile Montour Run Watershed.

The evaluation included a year-long monthly water monitoring program, leading to recommendations for treatment approaches for the most damaging. A discharge from the Clinton Lake Mine complex was identified as a significant source of degration (acidity and aluminum) to the West Fork of Enlow Run.

The scope of the McCaslin Road project included the design, permitting and construction of a passive treatment system. This facility includes a steel-cased bore conducting the untreated drainage beneath Clinto Road (great work Centerline Boring, Inc!); PVC drainage conveyance piping (Thank You to Dom Lee, President, Precision Kidd Steel for property access!); limestone treatment bed with automatic flushing device; and 8,000 square foot settling pond. This remediation system will improve the health of nearly two miles of the West Fork of Enlow Run.

An estimated 14,000 pounds of acid and 1,700 pounds of aluminum will be prevented from entering the stream each year from this site alone!

The resultant improvement in water quality will go far toward improved survival of fish and the aquatic life that support them.

In addition to funding through the DEP's Growing Greener Program, matching cash and donated goods and services were provided by Quality Aggregates, Inc., BioMost, Inc., Stream Restoration, Inc. and G&C Coal Analysis Lab.

A special thanks goes to Quality Aggregates' very exprienced and caring construction crew: Wayne Fuchs, Drew Fucks and Mason Frederick!