Orchard Limestone Drain Rehabilitation Project

U. S. Department of the Interior, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

Abandoned mine drainage (AMD) is the leading source of non-point source pollution within Pennsylvania and the Northern Swatara Creek Watershed in Schuylkill County. The Swatara Creek Watershed has been historically degraded to the point that the main stem of Swatara Creek at the town of Ravine had been devoid of aquatic life as recent as 1990. There has been documentation regarding the problems with this watershed, and as a result there have been local efforts to reduce the amount of pollution entering the watershed from AMD. As a result of these efforts, there have been numerous AMD treatment systems installed within the watershed to decrease the amount of pollutant loading, and increase the productivity of the watershed. The Orchard Limestone Drain is one of the treatment systems that were installed to reduce the amount of pollutants entering the watershed.

The Drain was constructed in 1995 to treat the water from the Orchard Discharge. The Orchard Drain worked very effectively for several years, but over time the water quality of the effluent has been dropping. The water leaving the treatment system is not as good as it once was, but this is in part due to the amount of limestone used to initially construct the system being reduced significantly. The system is also showing signs of clogging or plugging with iron hydroxide sediment and short-circuiting as a result of this sediment. The water is not being as effectively treated as it once was.

This project will result in the reconditioning of the Orchard Limestone Drain. The project will increase the size and capacity of the treatment system, replenish the limestone in the system with high CaCO3 limestone, and install a flushing system within the limestone drain. The treatment system will be continually monitored by the project partners to evaluate the improvements and effectiveness of the system. The way the system is designed should significantly reduce the amount of iron hydroxide sediment build up within the system, and potentially act as a template for other designs for the removal of iron precipitants.