A highwall reclamation project designed by the Department of Environmental Protection won a 2006 Appalachian Regional Award from the federal Office of Surface Mining.

The Monongahela South No. 1 project involved the stabilization of a dangerous and deteriorating highwall that threatened a church and school in the City of Monongahela, Washington County.

Several automobiles were severely damaged by rock falls from the highwall during church services. The school at the site had been closed for several years due to the dangerous condition posed by the highwall.

A portion of the highwall was stabilized by cutting the slope back and the incidental extraction of coal. The remainder of the highwall was stabilized by constructing a retaining wall.

The highwall was about 40 feet high and the hillside immediately above the highwall was very steep with residential streets and homes located just above the top of the slope. Differential weathering on the exposed highwall had caused treacherous rock overhangs that eventually would break off and fall onto the driveway located behind the church and school.

The annual award competition is conducted by OSM to recognize outstanding projects implemented by state and tribal AML Programs. Eric Cavazza accepted the award on behalf of the department at the National Association of Abandoned Mine Land Programs annual meeting last week and also presented a paper on the project.

A technical paper on the project is available online.

10/7/2006