Evaluation and Mitigation Steps for Threats to the Moshannon Creek Watershed Upstream of Roup Run
EBTJV/FWS award: $43,500
Partner funds: $47,266
This project will result in a written plan for a series of restoration steps for the AMD- impaired Moshannon Creek watershed, which once implemented would result in the restoration of health to the main stem of Moshannon Creek. This project will advance steps to allow passive AMD treatment of the Moshannon Creek watershed (specifically 6.3 miles of headwaters affected by AMD discharges and coal refuse pile sites). MCWA will continue to monitor water chemistry below the pollution input points upon completion of the treatment system.
The headwaters of Moshannon Creek is important habitat for wild native brook trout and other native fish. Upstream of Roup Run, Moshannon Creek supports a Class A wild brook trout population. Downstream, Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) inputs pollute the stream preventing brook trout from occupying important the mainstem and accessing tributaries downstream.
Moshannon Creek in central Pennsylvania has a 274 square mile watershed that has both clean water streams, many with trout, and streams impacted by abandoned mine drainage. The recently completed Coldwater Conservation Plan for the Moshannon Creek Watershed in Central Pennsylvania, (www.moshannoncreek.org/reports) outlines a plan for a series of restoration steps for the Moshannon Creek watershed, which if implemented in their specified order, would result in the restoration of health to the main stem of Moshannon Creek. While about half of the streams in the Moshannon Creek watershed are clean water streams, the entire main stem of Moshannon Creek is severely impaired by abandoned mine drainage except for the 6.3 mile stretch of the main stem from its headwaters to the confluence with Roup Run. Step A in the Coldwater Conservation Plan involves safeguarding the headwaters from threats that could degrade it. Steps B thru I in the Coldwater Conservation Plan involve restoration actions to restore stream sections downstream from the headwaters.
The stretch of Moshannon Creek upstream of Roup Run is classified as a Class A brook trout fishery by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and as a High Quality Coldwater Fishery (HQ-CWF) by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP). As the improvement steps outlined in the Coldwater Conservation Plan are implemented, the upper section of Moshannon will serve as one of the primary sources of brook trout, and other coldwater fishes, to repopulate the recovering main stem sections downstream. While the upper Moshannon Creek is in overall good condition, it is not without threats to its continued health due to impacts from abandoned mine drainage and the related problem of coal refuse piles. If no actions are taken, the potential exists for habitat degradation in the upper Moshannon Creek watershed while restoration is underway farther downstream. Taking steps to prevent habitat degradation in the upper Moshannon Creek watershed is the purpose of this project. This project is being sought by the Moshannon Creek Watershed Association in partnership with the Native Fish Coalition - Pennsylvania Chapter and the sponsorship of the Clearfield County Conservation District.
The objectives of this project include the following;
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● The preliminary design of treatment for known mine discharge MC-FORE. The steps included in this portion of the project would include a) site characterization (soils, wetland/stream delineation, survey), b) preliminary design (conceptual plan, permitting assessment, meetings with client and partners), c) first draft of design and submitted permitting applications .
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● Better quantifying and understanding mine discharge MC2.
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● Quantifying the impacts of mine discharge MC3 and its nearby large coal refuse pile.
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● Developing a conceptual design for treating MC3 once the coal refuse pile is removed or
mitigated.
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● Quantifying and better understanding the impact of and mine drainage sources within an unnamed tributary that discharges into Moshannon Creek at WGS84 lat 40.7752, long -78.3522.
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● Searching the watershed for any additional abandoned mine drainage impacts not previously identified and determining their importance once any are found.
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The Moshannon Creek Watershed Association and the Native Fish Coalition - Pennsylvania Chapter have successfully partnered on water chemistry sampling and benthic macroinvertebrate sampling that was performed to complete the Coldwater Conservation Plan for the Moshannon Creek Watershed. We will follow that same approach for our detailed evaluation of the threats to the Moshannon Creek watershed upstream of Roup Run. MCWA and the NFC-PA both possess leadership teams with considerable experience in managing different phases of capital projects from their experience in the business and government sectors. That experience will be applied to the vendor selection process for the treatment system design and continued monitoring of the project while the design is being prepared.
The sample site selection and water chemistry and benthic macroinvertebrate sampling approach will follow the methodology used in the development of the Coldwater Conservation Plan.
The final report for this project will include the preliminary design for a treatment system for the MC-FORE discharge. Seeking finalized design and construction funding for that system would be a logical next step. The final report will also detail the other findings within this section of the watershed. If the water chemistry and benthic macroinvertebrate sampling determine that mine discharge MC3 and the nearby coal refuse pile are having a negative impact on Moshannon Creek in their vicinity (this is expected), the conceptual design for treatment of MC3 would assist in seeking design and construction funding for that treatment once the coal refuse pile is removed. While evaluating this pile is a separate project being conducted by RESFuels, the outcome of that evaluation will determine the next steps for the pile, which will be either a mining/removal project or the development of and seeking funding for alternative mitigation steps for the coal refuse pile. Additional steps, if necessary, for mine discharge MC2, the impaired tributary at WGS84 lat 40.7752, long -78.3522, and any other threats discovered during this investigation, will be determined as the results of this study are evaluated and those steps will be included in the final report for this project.
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