If your local waterway looks more “rusty” than usual, acid mine drainage may be to blame.

Acid mine drainage (AMD) occurs when groundwater carries toxic metals from abandoned mine sites into streams and rivers, often turning them an alarming shade of orange. The acidic conditions degrade water quality, damage ecosystems, and complicate restoration efforts downstream–particularly those related to phosphorus management. Options to reduce AMD range from passive natural systems such as wetlands to active systems similar to water treatment plants.  

During June’s CRC Roundtable, we explored the origins, impacts, and remediation efforts to address AMD pollution.

Speakers:

• Charles Cravotta, Research Hydrologist, USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center
• Jamie Shallenberger, Manager of Monitoring and Protection, Susquehanna River Basin Commission
• Bobby Hughes, Executive Director, Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation