Bennett Branch of the Sinnemahoning Restoration

The Development of a
Mine Drainage Restoration Plan for
Bennett Branch
Sinnemahoning Creek
Clearfield, Elk, and Cameron Counties,
Pennsylvania
By:
Eric E. Cavazza, P.E.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation
May 2005
• State College
• Pittsburgh
• Phila.
Location of the Bennett
Branch Watershed
So why restore the Bennett Branch?
I.
Restoration of the Bennett Branch and Kettle
Creek are a priority of the Governor and an
integral part of the PA Wilds Initiative.
II. The Bennett Branch is a wild and scenic river
that is almost totally dead as a result of the
adverse impacts of acid mine drainage.
III. The mine drainage problems are localized to
three distinct areas of the watershed, and due to
the geology, are amenable to conventional mine
drainage treatment technology.
Bennett Branch Watershed Facts
¾ Watershed size: 387 square miles of which
approximately 16 square miles have been deep mined
¾ Watershed is sparsely populated, wooded,
mountainous, with deeply cut valleys with steep side
slopes
¾ Stream drops ~ 900 feet from headwaters near Sabula
to mouth at Driftwood. Total length of main stem is
approximately 38 miles, the lower 33 miles are
impacted by acid mine drainage.
¾ The average daily flow at the mouth at Driftwood
was 454 MGD or 315,000 gpm. (SL-195, 1976)
More Watershed Facts
¾Much of the land is State owned
¾State Game Lands
¾Elk and Moshannon State Forests
¾ Tributary to Susquehanna River and the
Chesapeake Bay
¾ Much of PA’s growing elk herd is located in
watershed
¾ Enormous potential for growth in tourism and
other outdoor recreation
Elk in the Bennett Branch Watershed
Bennett Branch Restoration
Project Background
¾ DEP completed an assessment using existing
published data in March 2004
¾ March report presented to the Governor’s PA
Wilds Task Force in May 2004
¾ Due to favorable review by the Task Force, DEP
established Bennett Branch Team
¾ DEP working since June 2004 to develop a
comprehensive mine drainage abatement plan for
the Bennett Branch
PENNSYLVANIA
Bennett Branch
Major Public Lands
In Outdoor Recreation Plan
Primary Mission of the Bennett
Branch Team
¾Develop a detailed mine drainage abatement
plan with a goals of:
¾Restoring water quality in the main stem of
the Bennett Branch
¾Improving water quality to the extent possible
in the mine drainage impacted tributaries
¾Maximize reclamation of abandoned mine
lands (AML), particularly AML sites with
health and safety problems
Primary Team Members
¾
¾
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection, Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation
PA – DEP, Knox and Moshannon District Mining
Offices
Bennett Branch Watershed Association
¾
Pennsylvania Game Commission
¾
PA – DCNR, Elk and Moshannon District Forest
Offices
US Department of the Interior, Office of Surface
Mining
¾
¾
Other Project Partners
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
Susquehanna River Basin Commission
US Army – Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District
PA Fish and Boat Commission
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Elk County Conservation District
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Elk County Commissioners
P & N Coal Company
Original Fuels Coal Company, Inc.
Kojancic Family Limited Partnership
Energy Resources, Inc.
Waroquier Coal Company
Rosebud Mining Company
Trout Unlimited
Initial Project Development Steps
9 The
Bennett Branch Team completed a
“Watershed Snapshot” in July 2004
9 Sampled
and measured the flow of all known
mine drainage discharges
9 Sampled and measured the flow of all major
tributaries and smaller polluted tributaries
9 Goals
of the “Watershed Snapshot”
9 Compare
results to previous watershed studies
9 Resolve data gaps or inconsistencies
9 Identify tributaries impacted by mine drainage
9 Complete a contaminant loading analysis of the
entire watershed
Previous Watershed Studies
¾Operation Scarlift (Hollywood Experimental AMD Treatment Plant)
¾SL 195 – Bennett Branch Watershed, 1973-1976
¾SL 161 – Dents Run Watershed, 1972-1974
¾US Army Corps of Engineers – Baltimore
¾Dents Run Ecosystem Restoration Plan, 2001
¾Includes PA-DEP Dents Run Monitoring Data, 1993 –
¾PA-DEP, Growing Greener Program/BBWA
¾Bennett Branch Watershed Assessment, 2003
¾PA-DEP, Bennett Branch Team
¾Watershed Assessment and Monitoring, 2004 –
¾Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC)
¾Ongoing TMDL development in the Watershed
Mine Drainage Impacted Tributaries
Historical Summary of the Percent of Acid Load to Bennett Branch
Tributary
Dents Run
Mill Run
Caledonia Run
Operation Scarlift,
1972-1976
30.8
3.9
21.6
Fridays Run
Tyler Reservoir Run
Moose Run
Tyler Run
Cherry Run
9.3
4.6
22.9
2.8
G-F/ BBWA, 2003
34.4
23.5
16.2
9.6
7.6
10.4
29.0
41.5
30.7
34.0
15.4
8.9
2.3
5.2
1.3
6.1
5.7
2.2
2.0
1.8
1.3
0.8
0.1
0.1
Unnamed trib across from Force
Baumertown Run
Wasko Run
Browns Run
PA-DEP, July 2004 PA-DEP, Oct. 2004
(High Flow
(Low Flow
Conditions)
Conditions)
0.2
0.2
1.1
0.9
0.1
0.3
3.2
3.4
1.4
Unnamed trib near Medix Run
Overturf Run
0.8
0.1
Direct Discharge1 @ Tyler
Direct Discharge2 @ Tyler
Kersey Run
Totals
2.4
99.9
100.0
100.0
100.0
Geology and Mining History within
the Bennett Branch Watershed
Early 1900s mine near Penfield
Caledonia Syncline
Structural Geology within the
Bennett Branch Watershed
Geologic cross-section along the profile of the
main stem of the Bennett Branch
Outcrop of LK Coal Seam
Mining History
¾ Coal mining began in the middle to late 1800s
¾ By early 1900s, extensive underground mining
began – most mines closed down by the late 1960s –
Some limited deep mining continues today
¾ Surface or strip mining began in the 1940s and
continues, to a limited extent, today
¾ Most mining on the Middle Kittanning (C) Lower
Kittanning (B) or Clarion Coal (A) Seams
¾ Most underground mines were developed up-dip to
allow for the gravity draining of mine water
¾ Many mines (surface and deep)were abandoned and
left unreclaimed
Hollywood Area
Caledonia Area
Dents Run Area
Be
n
ne
tt B
ran
ch
Bennett Branch Coal Fields
Portal of the Wilmer No. 1 Coal Mine
in the Dents Run Watershed
Circa 1910 photograph of the No. 1 Mine
Tipple in the Dents Run Watershed
Scenes from the Village of Tyler in the early 1900
Byrnedale
Cardiff
Other
Bennett Branch
Communities
(early 1900s)
Force
Mine Drainage Discharges
and AMD Impacted
Tributaries in the Bennett
Branch Watershed
120
St. Mary’s
SR
SR
Bennett Branch
Watershed Boundary
SR
Dents Run
Benezette
120
SR
Driftwood
5
25
55
5
Weedville
Caledonia
Mix Run
Hollywood
Medix Run
SR
Sabula
SR
5
25
153
To
D
oi
uB
s
Penfield
Bennett Branch
Watershed
Confluence of Moose Run and
Bennett Branch near Penfield
Mill Run
Borehole (above)
and Mill Run
at Rt 255 (left)
RT 255
Mill Run Borehole
Mill Run
Aerial view of Mill Run
FRI1 Discharge
FRI1 Weir
FRI2 Discharge
Fridays Run
discharges near
Hollywood
TR37 Discharge
TYR2 Discharge
Discharges along Tyler Reservoir Run and reclaimed
refuse disposal area near Hollywood and Tyler
ACV Power GFCC Site
Bennett Branch at the Village of Tyler
K2 Discharge
K1 Discharge
K1 Discharge
K2 Discharge
High aluminum discharges
located in the Cherry Run
tributary near the
Village of Force
K2 Pond
CAL4 Discharge
Caledonia Run
At RT 555
AMD discharges and
impacts in the Caledonia
Run tributary near the
Village of Caledonia
CAL2 Discharge
Bennett Branch at Caledonia
Bennett Branch at Benezette
Bennett Branch at Grant
AMD Discharges impacting Dents Run
Dents Run upstream
of AMD impacts
Dents Run at the
confluence of the
heavily AMD
impaired Porcupine
Run
Confluence of Dents Run and Bennett Branch
Bennett Branch at Dents Run
Bennett Branch Downstream of Dents Run
Other (AML) Problems in the Watershed
AML Inventory Map for the Hollywood Area
AML Problem Area Field Reviews
¾ BAMR field reviewed 22 AML problem areas with
inventoried health and safety problems (Jan. – Apr. ’05)
¾ The inventoried reclamation cost to reclaim all of
these hazardous features exceeded $30 million
¾ Included an evaluation of re-mining potential at each
site to accomplish reclamation at no cost to BAMR
¾ Evaluation also included an analysis of water quality
improvements that could be achieved through
reclamation or re-mining including:
¾ Restoration of surface water courses
¾ Elimination of infiltration into underground mines
¾ Elimination of AMD seeps or discharges
Abandoned Surface Mine with dangerous
highwall in Dents Run Watershed
Bennett Branch
Restoration Plan
Development
Watershed can be divided into three
distinct areas in need of AMD abatement
¾Hollywood/Tyler Area
¾On average, contributes ~ 29% of
the acid load to the Bennett Branch
¾Caledonia Area
¾Contributes ~ 24% of the acid load
¾Dents Run Area
¾Contributes ~ 34% of the acid load
¾Being addressed by Corps of
Engineers / BBWA / DEP-BAMR
Project Implementation Goals
¾ Restoration of the main stem of the Bennett Branch
¾ A viable sport fishery will be re-established
¾ Increased recreation opportunities
¾ Restoration of 33 miles of AMD impaired stream
¾ Local economic benefits
¾ Increased tourism
¾ Resource recovery from the treatment facility sludge
¾ Potential for industrial re-use of the treated water
¾ Foundational effort in the restoration of the West
Branch Susquehanna River
DEP’s March 2004 report recommended
construction of two active mine drainage
treatment facilities
¾Due to extremely poor quality of the AMD
in the watershed, active chemical treatment
of the discharges is the most reliable and
long-term method of treatment
¾First plant to be sited near the Villages of
Hollywood and Tyler
¾Second treatment facility to be sited near
the Village of Caledonia
¾Possible treatment for Dents Run if COE
Project not completely successful
Hollywood
Caledonia
Discharges under consideration for treatment at the proposed
Hollywood/Tyler and the Caledonia AMD treatment facilities
Potential site of the Hollywood/Tyler
Mine Drainage Treatment Facility
Summary of preliminary design data for the
Hollywood/Tyler Treatment Facility
Preliminary Design Values
=============================
•Flow…………………………….5,000 gpm
(7.2 MGD)
•Acidity………………………… 171.1 mg/l
•Fe……………………………….. 33.6 mg/l
•Mn……………………………….. 2.8 mg/l
•Al………………………………… 4.5 mg/l
Hollywood/Tyler Area Treatment Facility Next Steps
¾Solicit proposals from consultants for a two-phase
design for the Hollywood/Tyler treatment facility
¾Phase 1 - Alternatives Analysis
¾to evaluate different treatment processes and to evaluate the
feasibility and need to convey each of the various discharges to the
plant. Potential discharge relocations or consolidations would also be
considered.
¾Phase 2 - Detailed Treatment Facility Design
¾including engineering, project drawings and technical specifications,
permitting, right-of-way acquisition, an operation and maintenance
plan and manual, and preparation of contracting documents.
¾Re-use of the treated mine water and resource
recovery from the sludge(s) will also be considered.
Other Activities being pursued in support of the
restoration of the Bennett Branch
¾ October 2004 - Low flow stream survey
¾ November 2004 - Weirs installed at all discharges
¾ December 2004 - Additional stream samples - to
determine sources of degradation other than AMD
¾ Monthly Sampling Completed (Oct 2004 - Apr 2005)
¾ All known mining records reviewed. Mine maps
converted to electronic format for use in site planning.
¾ A GIS is being developed using AutoCAD map
software to compile topographic information, mine
maps, property ownership data, stream and discharge
monitoring data, and AML site information.
Proctor No. 2
Mine Workings
Scanned
deep
mine
maps
Village of
Hollywood
2
State Route
55
Colored
Aerial
Photography
Completed
through a
cooperative
agreement
between DEP
and PennDOT
Caledonia
Penfield
Caledonia Area Air Photo
Refuse Pile
Village of
Caledonia
Highwalls
Re-mining in the Bennett Branch Watershed
P&N Coal Company mining operation
in the Dents Run Subwatershed (04/04)
Re-mining in the Bennett Branch Watershed
¾ Meetings have been held with Coal Companies to
discuss future plans, to obtain available drill hole
information, and to jointly evaluate re-mining
potential at several AML sites are ongoing.
¾ P&N Coal Company
¾ Rosebud Mining Company
¾ Energy Resources, Inc. (ERI)
¾ Waroquier Coal Company (Tamburlin Bros. Coal Co.)
¾ Kojancic Family Limited Partnership (Underhill Coal Co.)
¾ BAMR is actively working with the DCNR – Bureau
of Forestry to evaluate re-mining and reclamation of
several high-priority AML sites within the Moshannon
State Forest.
Re-mining in the Bennett Branch Watershed
Energy Resources, Inc. (ERI) Mining Operation
in the Mill Run Subwatershed (11/04)
Abandoned surface mine with dangerous
highwall in Moshannon State Forest
Abandoned Coal Refuse
Pile Survey
¾ Grab sampled over 30 refuse piles located
throughout the watershed
¾ Samples were dried and crushed to minus 60
mesh and analyzed for percent sulfur, BTUs,
percent ash, maximum potential acidity and
neutralizing potential
¾ Results shared with mine operators,
cogeneration facility operators, and property
owners
Coal Refuse
Pile along
Mill Run
Coal Refuse
Pile along Tyler
Reservoir Run
Example Coal Refuse Pile Sample
Results
Refuse
Refuse
Pile
County
Pile
Number
29
R3895
Elk
Municipality
GEO Max
% Ash DEP % %
Pot. Neutralizing Deficiency/
Pile
Sulfur Sulfur Acidity Potential
Excess
Volume
No.
BTU
1
6,824.92
49.05
0.972
0.99
30.94
-24.75
-55.69
2
7,955.80
42.85
1.024
1.02
31.88
-15.49
-47.37
Benezette Twp.
3,000 CY
3
9,536.48
33.30
1.075
1.11
34.69
-7.25
-41.94
4
1,865.98
78.25
0.923
0.97
30.31
-4.95
-35.26
Exploratory Drilling
Exploratory Drilling
¾Determine extent of underground mine
pools
¾Determine hydraulic head on mine
openings, mine seals or coal seam
outcrop areas
¾Determine whether individual deep
mines are inter-connected
¾Evaluate options for combining
discharges and routing discharges to
the treatment facility
Property/Real Estate Issues
¾Property investigations for the proposed treatment facility
locations (Hollywood and Caledonia) and for the inventoried
high-priority AML sites have been completed.
¾ Preliminary contact with the landowners in the vicinity of the
proposed Hollywood/Tyler treatment facility has been
completed.
¾Work is underway to establish spending authorization from
PA’s Coal Lands Improvement Fund to acquire land necessary to
construct the Hollywood/Tyler treatment facility in Huston
Township, Clearfield County.
¾Property appraisals for the private properties that may be
acquired for construction of the Hollywood/Tyler treatment
facility were completed by an independent appraiser in March.
Estimated Capital and Annual Costs
Preliminary costs for Hollywood/Tyler and Caledonia determined using
AMDTreat v3.1 software
Hollywood/Tyler Treatment Facility
Capital Costs
Hydrated Lime Plant and Sludge Settling Facilities
$ 1,030,000.00
Conveying all Discharges to the Plant
$ 1,000,000.00
Estimated Property Acquisition Costs
$
Total Capital Cost
$ 2,130,000.00
100,000.00
Annual Costs
(Chemicals, Sampling, O & M, & Sludge Removal)
$
370,000.00
Estimated Capital and Annual Costs
Preliminary costs for Hollywood/Tyler and Caledonia determined using
AMDTreat v3.1 software
Caledonia Treatment Facility
Capital Costs
Hydrated Lime Plant and Sludge Settling Facilities
$
950,000.00
Conveying all Discharges to the Plant
$
95,000.00
Estimated Property Acquisition Costs
$
50,000.00
Total Capital Cost
$ 1,140,000.00
Annual Costs
(Chemicals, Sampling, O & M, & Sludge Removal)
$ 191,000.00
Proposed Design and
Implementation Schedule
Hollywood/Tyler Treatment Facility
Start
Complete
Discharge Sampling and Monitoring
09/04
09/06
Property Acquisition
09/04
12/05
Obtain Easements/ ROW’s for Pipelines
07/05
03/06
Finalize Plant Design
08/05
03/06
Project Permitting
08/05
06/06
Award Contract & Begin Construction
08/06
04/07
Full-Scale Operation
Mid to late 2007
Proposed Design and
Implementation Schedule
Caledonia Treatment Facility
Start
Complete
Discharge Sampling and Monitoring
09/04
09/06
Property Acquisition
09/04
12/06
(A delay in developing final plans beyond this point will allow for an assessment
of the impact of the Hollywood/Tyler treatment facility.)
Obtain Easements/ ROW’s for Pipelines
04/08
12/08
Finalize Plant Design
03/08
12/08
Project Permitting
04/08
03/09
Award Contract & Begin Construction
05/09
04/10
Full-Scale Operation
Mid to late 2010
Dents Run Project Background
¾ Elk County Conservation District submitted a request to
BAMR to restore the water quality in the Dents Run
Watershed in 1993.
¾ BAMR began monitoring discharges and stream quality.
¾ BAMR began working with various partners to develop a
comprehensive watershed restoration plan.
¾ Cost estimates to restore the watershed were too high for
DEP alone to fund.
¾ Due to the high cost, BAMR made a request to the Corps
of Engineers to evaluate the proposed project for funding.
¾ In 2001, the COE received approval to fund a portion of
the work under the Section 206 Program.
Dents Run Project Summary
¾ Restore
and sustain the aquatic, riparian,
and terrestrial resources of the Dents Run
Watershed
¾ Reclamation of ~160 acres of abandoned
mine land with alkaline addition and
other Best Management Practices
¾ Reconnection of 24 stream miles
¾ Restoration of 5 stream miles of aquatic
organism and brook trout habitat
38
98
3888
38
93
38
96
General Project Area
3895B
3895A
1934
97
8
3
- Active Mining and Reclamation Site
- Site Under Construction
- Site to be Reclaimed in the Future
Dents Run Project Groundbreaking
October 2002
Wilmer No. 1 Mine Discharge
Dents Run
Site 3888
Treatment
System
Corps of
Engineers
Completed
Nov. 2004
Partnership with the Active Mining
Industry at Dents Run
¾ P&N Coal Company
¾ Mining Upper and Middle Kittanning Coal
¾ Mining 500,000 tons of limestone for alkaline
addition and passive treatment
¾ Will reclaim several AML features
¾ Provided a low cost source of alkaline
material bringing the overall project cost in
line with available funding sources.
Dents Run Project Cost Summary
¾US Army
Corps of Engineers
¾PA-DEP/Growing
Greener
$ 5,000,000
$ 1,300,000
¾PA-DEP-BAMR
$ 2,700,000
¾Local
$
Sponsor (BBWA)
62,150*
¾In-kind
Match
$ 189,000**
¾Mining
Offset
$ 2,951,496
Total
$12,202,646
* - (Cash Contribution required by the USA-COE)
** - (Includes Exploratory Drilling Work, Project Mapping, and Water Sampling provided by PA-DEP-BAMR)
Source: COE Dents Run Project Management Plan (10/01)
Current Dents Run Project Status
¾DEP and BBWA coordinating with the Baltimore
Corps of Engineers, efforts focusing on:
¾Reducing Corps project costs
¾Improving quality of Corps project designs
¾Maximizing water quality improvements
¾Speeding the Corps up – trying to get several projects to
construction in 2005 construction season
¾DEP funding construction of an alkaline for the single
biggest source of mine drainage contamination in the
watershed. Construction of the trench began in midFebruary. DEP also evaluating additional projects.
Bennett Branch Restoration Cost Summary
Phase I – Hollywood/Tyler Area Treatment Facility
Total Capital Cost
$ 2,130,000
Annual Cost
$ 370,000
Phase II– Caledonia Area Treatment Facility
Total Capital Cost
$ 1,140,000
Annual Cost
$ 191,000
Dents Run – USA-COE Restoration Project
Total Capital Cost
Annual Cost
$12,202,646
$ 62,400*
•- Assumed to be 4% of the capital cost of the passive treatment systems
Total Capital Cost
$15,472,646*
* Does not include costs to reclaim AML sites with Health and Safety Problems
Total Annual Cost
$ 623,400
Bennett Branch Project Summary
¾DEP is investing significant resources for
ongoing project planning, development,
design, and capital construction.
¾ A dedicated source of funding for the
continued O&M of the two active treatment
facilities needs to be identified and
committed.
¾DEP does not have the resources to
commit to fund the recurring annual
operating costs
Expected Return on Investment
BEFORE
AFTER
The End! Any Questions?
For more information on the
Bennett Branch Restoration Project:
www.dep.state.pa.us
Subjects: Abandoned Mine Reclamation