Community-Based Monitoring of Impacts of AMDand Marcellus Shale Drilling on Water Quality in Beech Creek and Clearfield Watersheds

Start Date

26-10-2018 8:00 PM

End Date

26-10-2018 9:59 PM

Description

The Beech Creek and Clearfield area watersheds in central Pennsylvania have a long history of coal mining, which resulted in a legacy of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) degradation of water and soil quality. Beginning in 2008, the area experienced another wave of resource extraction related to Marcellus Shale gas-well drilling, which has raised concerns among citizens and the scientific community about potential impacts on water quality and ecosystems. In the wake of Marcellus Shale drilling activities, Lock Haven University’s Geology program forged a partnership with several community-based organizations to monitor the quality of surface water within these watersheds on a long-term basis. On average, a total of 20 samples have been collected monthly from Beech Creek and Clearfield County watersheds for laboratory analysis. The parameters monitored included, but are not limited to, temperature, pH, TDS, total Fe, Al, Ba, Cl, and SO4. These parameters were determined using HACH DR6000 Spectrophotometer, HACH multi-parameter probes, and titration methods. These parameters were chosen due to their association to both AMD and Marcellus Shale drilling activities. Our results indicated that the legacy of AMD damage in these watersheds prevails.

Keywords

Beech Creek, mining, AMD, water quality, Marcellus Shale

Type

Poster

Session

Poster session

Language

eng

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Oct 26th, 8:00 PM Oct 26th, 9:59 PM

Community-Based Monitoring of Impacts of AMDand Marcellus Shale Drilling on Water Quality in Beech Creek and Clearfield Watersheds

Elaine Langone Center, Terrace Room

The Beech Creek and Clearfield area watersheds in central Pennsylvania have a long history of coal mining, which resulted in a legacy of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) degradation of water and soil quality. Beginning in 2008, the area experienced another wave of resource extraction related to Marcellus Shale gas-well drilling, which has raised concerns among citizens and the scientific community about potential impacts on water quality and ecosystems. In the wake of Marcellus Shale drilling activities, Lock Haven University’s Geology program forged a partnership with several community-based organizations to monitor the quality of surface water within these watersheds on a long-term basis. On average, a total of 20 samples have been collected monthly from Beech Creek and Clearfield County watersheds for laboratory analysis. The parameters monitored included, but are not limited to, temperature, pH, TDS, total Fe, Al, Ba, Cl, and SO4. These parameters were determined using HACH DR6000 Spectrophotometer, HACH multi-parameter probes, and titration methods. These parameters were chosen due to their association to both AMD and Marcellus Shale drilling activities. Our results indicated that the legacy of AMD damage in these watersheds prevails.