JB#2 Mine Drainage Treatment Project

Sometimes mine drainage treatment projects do not work like the designers thought. And that’s what happened in the case of the JB#2 Project in the Raccoon Creek Watershed, Washington County. Originally designed to filter water through spent mushroom compost, it was discovered the lower pH of the mine water made the iron cling to the compost and clog up the system. Now, with the help of the federal Office of Surface Mining, the Raccoon Creek Watershed Association and Independence Marsh Foundation are renovating the project to restore its treatment capacity. John Davidson, a former DEP mine inspector and now a local volunteer, talks about the challenges of renovating the treatment system. Raccoon Creek Watershed Association