Projects

Stream Cleanup

SCWA partnered with Central City Borough, Shade Landfill Inc., and “PA Clean Ways” to adopt a section of Dark Shade Creek from Lambert Street Bridge to the Central City Park. Volunteers will walk the stream and remove and bag debris or pull larger debris out of the creek for Central City Borough to haul away.

With help from our friends, Upper Dark Shade Creek is improving.
Large and small projects have improved the quality of water in Coal Run or upper Dark Shade near Central City.

PBS Coals Inc., over the last 2 years, have removed coal from an old deep mine near Gahagan and eliminated an old acid mine discharge that was polluting Coal Run. This project has improved the water quality to upper Dark Shade Creek. PBS Coals have helped with other smaller projects and has been supportive of Shade Creek Watershed Association’s goal of restoring the local streams to a viable cold water fishery.

The Bureau of Abandon Mines and Reclamation have recently completed redoing an old passive treatment system up stream from Gahagan. This system treats an old underground mine that has added acid water, iron and aluminum to Coal Run for years.

Local volunteers have donated their time and equipment to improve the quality of water to a tributary of Dark Shade, Shingle Run. This spring, volunteers of Shade Creek Watershed Association, moved approximately 25 ton of limestone into Shingle Run resulting in a jump of ph from 4.8 (acidic) to 6.8 (capable of sustaining a fish population). These same volunteers are looking to lime dose another tributary, Snoden Run, this fall before hunting season. If you are interested in donating time and/or equipment, contact Larry Hutchinson at SCWA office, 754-5953.

The latest project is building treatment ponds to treat the water of the forth largest mine discharge in Shade Creek’s Watershed. SCWA received a total grant of $290,000 from Growing Greener PA and Office of Surface Mines to build a treatment system that can treat up to 100 gallons a minute of acid water coming out of the old Reitz # 1 mine. This system should be completed by the beginning of October 2006. SCWA is looking for volunteers to help in landscaping and fall planting. If you would be interested in helping, contact the SCWA office.


Water Sampling
Coming Soon

Lime Dosing
Twice a year, volunteers move stock piled limestone on tributaries of Dark Shade Creek into the streambeds. Members of SCWA load 5 gallon buckets that are carried by ATV’s down stream and dumped into the stream bed. Much of the headwaters of Dark Shade Creek are impacted by either acid rain or abandon coal mines. The limestone helps reduce the acid that inhibits aquatic life. SCWA is confident that this will raise the ph of the water and life can once again return to the headwaters of Shade Creek.

Lime Dosing -- Sept 16-17

Here are some photos from the Lime Dosing of Shingle Run. We'd like to thanks all of those who volunteered and especially those who donated their time and heavy equipment necessary to complete the job quickly and professionally. (photo left) Larry Hutchinson watches the first of many loads of lime stone being offloaded and made ready for the quad riders.
Thanks to all the quad riders..we could not have done it without your help! (left to right) "Doner" Konitsky, Don Saylor, John Kasnick, Mike Lafferty

Road Cleanup
SCWA partnered with Shade Township, Shade Landfill Inc., and “PA Clean Ways” to adopt a section of State Route 160 from Clear Shade Bridge south to Rockingham. Volunteers will walk the roadway and remove and bag debris from along the road or pull larger debris out for Shade Township to haul away.