January 11, 2010

Babb Creek And Pine Creek Watershed Restoration Success. Abandoned Mine Drainage caused high metal levels and low pH in Babb Creek, creating toxic conditions for trout and macroinvertebrates. The Department of Environmental Protection added three segments of Babb Creek to the state's Clean Water Act section 303(d) list in 1996 for impairments due to metals and in 2002 for impairments due to pH.
DEP also added one segment of Pine Creek to the impaired waters list in 1998. Stakeholders have worked to restore the creek for nearly two decades by installing active and passive AMD treatment systems.
Water quality has improved and now meets standards, so DEP plans to remove the three impaired segments of Babb Creek's mainstem from the state's 2010 CWA section 303(d) list for metals and pH. DEP removed the impaired Pine Creek segment from the 303(d) list in 2002.
Watch this Green Life PA video and see how it was done. Click here for EPA success story article.