terry schmidt, skelly & loy, “big run restoration: a success story”

BIG RUN RESTORATION: A SUCCESS STORY

Terry W. Schmidt

• Presented at Pennsylvania Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference, June 26, 2015.

• Terry W. Schmidt, P.E., Vice President, Engineering, Skelly And Loy, Inc., 2601 North Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110.

BIG RUN RESTORATION: A SUCCESS STORY

• Watershed Assessment and Characterization

• Blacklegs Creek Headwaters Project – Kolb Discharge

• Big Run Restoration – 4 Phase Project

Pennsylvania Coal Fields

Source: USGS

Indiana County, PA

Young Township, Indiana Co.

Kolb Site

• Abandoned underground mine discharge• High flow (approximately 1,000 gallons per

minute)• Selected as first major project in Blacklegs

Creek watershed• Demonstrated ability to manage grant and

complete successful project

Blacklegs Creek Kolb Indiana County

Kolb Site components

• Mine seal

• 18-inch fused, watertight pipe

• Gate valve to control water flow and allow for emergency discharge

• Pipe crossed a stream, shared a trench with a gas line, crossed a driveway, and crossed a railroad prior to entering the treatment site

Riser And Screen AssemblyAt The Kolb Discharge

Big Run Flow Data 2000

• Big Run #2 – 4,700 GPM

• Big Run #3 – 350 GPM

• Big Run #7 – 1,200 GPM

• Big Run #8 – 1,400 GPM

• Main Discharges - > 1/3 of flow

• Main Stem – 20,000 GPM

Big Run & Blacklegs Creek

Phase I – Big Run #2

• 2001 Growing Greener Grant

• Design 2001/2002

• Construction 2002/2003

• Final Report 2004

Phase I – Big Run #2

Phase I - Big Run #2 2003

Phase I - Big Run #2 2003

Phase I - Big Run #2 2003

Phase I - Big Run #2 2003

Phase I – Big Run #2 Flow Distribution/Aeration

Phase I – Big Run #2

Phase I – Big Run #2

Phase I – Big Run #2 O&M

Phase I – Big Run #2

Phase I – Big Run #2

Phase II – Big Run #7

• Big Run #7 2003 Growing Greener Grant

• Grant for #7 Design and #8 Investigation

• Design 2003/2004

• Construction 2004/2005

Phase II – Big Run #7 2004

Phase II – Big Run #7 2004

Phase II – Big Run #7

Phase 2 – Big Run #7Average Raw AMD:Flow = 800 gpmFe = 1 mg/LAl = 15 mg/LHot Acidity = 150 mg/L

Phase II – Big Run #7

Phase II – Big Run #7

Phase II – Big Run #7

Phase II – Big Run #7

Phase II – Big Run #7 & #8

• Final Report 2007

• Phase II Big Run #7 Constructed

• Phase III Big Run #8 Concept Design

Big Run #8 and Big Run #3

• 2004 Initial discussions - Norfolk Southern

• 2006 Meeting with Norfolk Southern

• Wetland and Stream Mitigation Needed

• $1,000,000 + Committed by NS

• 2008 Work commenced on #8 and #3

• 2009 Supplemental GG Grant Requested

Phase III - Big Run #8

Phase III – Big Run #8 Drainage Tunnel

Phase III – Big Run #8 Piping and Emergency Overflow

Phase III – Big Run #8 Piping and Emergency Overflow

Phase III – Big Run #8 Piping and Emergency Overflow

Phase III – Big Run #8

Phase III – Big Run #8

Phase III – Big Run #8 Valve

Phase III – Big Run #8 (#7A)

Phase III – Big Run #8

Phase III – Big Run #8

Phase III – Big Run #8

Phase III – Big Run #8

Phase IV - Big Run #3

• Big Run #3 discharge occurred and adverse property

• 4 acres of treatment area preserved for potential treatment of Big Run #3

• Phase IV – Big Run #3– Supplemental treatment of Phase II & III– Provides excess alkalinity for Big Run #3– Big Run #3 could be re-directed in future

Phase IV - Big Run #3

Phase IV - Big Run #3

Phase IV - Big Run #3

Phase IV - Big Run #3

Phase IV - Big Run #3

2014/2015

• $500,000 Act 13 Grant O&M

• Growing Greener Kolb Wetland Expansion

• Fish in Lower Blacklegs Creek

• Bugs in Lower Big Run

• Norfolk Southern received mitigation

• Work progressing on Whiskey Run

Partners

• Saltsburg Sportsman’s Club

• Norfolk Southern

• Consol Energy

• EASI – water sampling

• PA DEP

• Western Pennsylvania Conservancy

• Kiski-Conemaugh Stream Team

Partners

• WPCAMR

• Growing Greener

• EPA 319

• OSM Clean Streams Initiative

• Foundation for PA Watersheds

• Blackleggs Creek Watershed Association

Trout Nursery Man of the Year

Watershed Hero

Mayfly Award Recipient

Always on the Job

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