Abandoned Mine Drainage

The Indian Creek watershed is plauged with abandoned mine drainage, produced as a result of old surface and deep mines that were not properly reclaimed or, often, not reclaimed at all. The 125 acre Indian Creek watershed contains over 130 abandoned mine drainage. The good news is that through the construction of 11 treatment projects to treat the worst discharges, we can restore over 95% of the stream. We have completed four treatment systems to date and are currently working on three more.

Active Mining

At the same time, there has been a resurgence of strip mining in the watershed with several active mines operating and eight new intents to explore to determine the feasibility of mining. Active mining has disrupted the watershed and its communities in many ways, primarily through impacts to surface water, heavy truck traffic, and blasting damage to homes.

Above: A strip mine in the Indian Creek watershed.

Protect Yourself!

We receive many requests for assistance from people who live adjacent to active mines. Their concerns generally are about protecting their private water supplies and their homes from blasting damage. Here are a few ideas that can help:

• Periodically test your private water supply for quality and quantity. This is something that all homeowners on a private water supply should do, regardless of the occurrence of mining.
• Become informed about when and where mining will occur near you. The following DEP resources will assist you. For help with using any of these resources, please contact Krissy.
  • eNotice: Register to receive notice of mining or other permits in your area. (www.dep.state.pa.us/enotice/)
  • eMap: This service maps proposed mines and other activities. (www.emappa.dep.state.pa.us/emappa/viewer.htm)
  • eFacts: After mining starts, monitor inspection reports and violations. (www.dep.state.pa.us/efacts/default.asp)
• If you are within 1000' of a proposed surface mine, the company will be required to test your water for both quantity and quality. While you should generally accept this testing, it is also a good idea to:
• Have your water independently assessed for quantity and quality both before and after mining. Use a DEP certified lab, and do not do this testing yourself--- ask that the lab send a technician to perform the testing. For more information or a list of labs, please contact Krissy.
• If you live within 2,500' of a proposed surface mine, you are entitled to a pre-blast survey. You should accept this offer as it will document pre-blasting conditions of your home and other buildings on your property. This will be important if your home were to be damaged as a result of blasting. If a pre-blast survey is not offered, ask the DEP in writing to require one.

We have many materials that can assist citizens faced with similar problems (including a series of brochures designed specifically for those living adjacent to surface mines), and encourage you to take a look at our Publications page.

We also have several copies of The Strip Mining Handbook, by Mark Squillace, an excellent resource with information on protecting yourself and your property, performing a permit review, and filing complaints. Please contact us to request a copy.