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The "Lehigh River Mine Drainage Assessment and Abatement Plan to Mitigate the Mine Drainage Impacts to the Lehigh River Watershed" addresses AMD factors contributing to the impairment of the Lehigh River. This plan focuses on the identification, prioritization and remediation recommendations for eight AMD discharges that bring mine drainage into the watershed. The plan will also determine what percent of heavy metals and acidity can be attributed to mining impacts within the watershed. The overall goal is to utilize the water chemistry, flow data and fieldwork to develop a remediation plan that will guide the restoration of the mine impacts to the watershed. This plan will include the type of remediation recommended and associated approximate costs and will outline the potential project partnership. With this information in place, restoration of the mining impacts in the Lehigh River watershed can be addressed in a comprehensive and scientific manner. The study covers the areas of the Eastern Middle and Southern Coal Fields that drain to the Lehigh River. This plan focuses on AMD and other related mining impacts. Other issues and problems impacting the Lehigh River are not addressed in this report. Mine drainage continues to be a major impact on water quality. Although significant improvement in water quality has been made in the last 30 years regarding AMD, the Lehigh River still suffers from low alkalinity, high heavy-metal concentrations and fluctuating pH. Several abandoned mine reclamation projects have been completed in the watershed, and numerous attempts were made in the past to minimize the impacts of mine drainage tunnels entering the river, however none of these facilities are currently in operation.
Report (PDF:
3,654 KB / 84 pages
Coming
Soon! GIS topo map with all LR AMD discharges
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