A diverse coalition of 76 partners from Pennsylvania and West Virginia, the Greene County Watershed Alliance is working collaboratively to restore the Dunkard Creek Targeted Watershed. Coalition members are as far-reaching as the watershed itself and include local landowners, business owners, community members, non-profit organizations and local, state, and federal government agencies.

As a result of acid mine drainage

Acid mine drainage

Acid mine drainage , or acid rock drainage , refers to the outflow of acidic water from metal mines or coal mines. However, other areas where the earth has been disturbed may also contribute acid rock drainage to the environment...

, the lower 6.2 mile portion of Dunkard Creek

Dunkard Creek

Dunkard Creek is a stream that flows through Greene County, Pennsylvania and Monongalia County, West Virginia, near the towns of Mount Morris, Pennsylvania, and Blacksville, West Virginia...

 from Taylortown, Pennsylvania to Poland Mines, Pennsylvania is essentially dead. High levels of metals, acids, and suspended solids have turned the water orange and made downstream waters uninhabitable for aquatic life. Fish kill

Fish kill

The term fish kill, known also as fish die-off and as fish mortality, is a localized die-off of fish populations which may also be associated with more generalised mortality of aquatic life...

s have been recorded and an estimated $67,000 in recreational revenue is lost annually.

Activities

Under a Targeted Watersheds grant from the EPA, the Greene County Watershed Alliance, in partnership with the Friends of Dunkard Creek, is collaborating with Stream Restoration, Inc. to address the impacts from acid mine drainage using clean-up technologies, partnership building, and hands-on environmental education. Most notably, the Alliance has created a Passive Treatment System to remove metals and other pollutants at the Mathews Restoration Site. This system has the capacity to remove 50 tons per year of suspended solids in the form of heavy metals.