The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday announced work is expected to begin the week of March 17 on the second phase of a project to treat water discharge from the Indianola mine pool and improve the water quality of Little Deer Creek in Indiana Township, Allegheny County.

DEP’s Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation, together with the Clean Streams Foundation, is designing a passive treatment facility to handle discharge from the Redland Mine pool.

During the first phase of this project in 2009, two boreholes were drilled into the mine pool to lower the water level in the flooded mine complex. These boreholes successfully rerouted the mine discharge to an area where a passive treatment settling pond could be constructed and sealed a discharge that was coming up in a nearby building.

Funded partially by a $250,000 Growing Greener Grant, the second phase of the project will include the design, permitting and construction of the treatment facility at the location of the boreholes. The land is owned by the Clean Streams Foundation.

Adam Eidmiller, Inc., of Greensburg, is the selected bidder for phase two, submitting a bid of $158,916.61. Work on the site will involve constructing a treatment pond and clearing a number of trees from the property, particularly in the area of the treatment pond.

The Indianola Trust Fund will manage and maintain the treatment system. Established by BAMR, the trust fund is managed by the Clean Streams Foundation and is funded by civil penalties collected within the watershed area.

Weather permitting, work is expected to be completed in time for fishing season. Little Deer Creek is a popular stream for trout fishermen.

For more information, call 412-442-4000.

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3/10/2014