We are excited to say that Phase III of the Neal Run Restoration project has been completed. The Neal Run Passive treatment system was funded by a $210,956 grant awarded to Stream Restoration Incorporated. This project is a continuation of work that has been on-going for over a decade. In 2011, marketable coal refuse was removed from the site along with construction of oxidation and precipitation channels (OPC). These OPCs have removed up to 80% of the iron from the discharge; however, the concentrations are so high that a significant amount of pollutants remain. A 700-ton, limestone-only, Auto-Flushing Vertical Flow Pond (AFVFP) and a Settling Pond (SP) were added in Phase II of construction in 2018. Phase III involved the construction of a second AFVFP (AFVFP2) that contains 1,850 tons of high calcium carbonate AASHTO #1 limestone. AFVFP2 flushes into OPC1 every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Initial monitoring of AFVFP2 indicated that downstream of the treatment system at NL0-MP3, Neal Run is now alkaline with varying metal solids depending on the timing of the flush, which now means Reeds Run and Aultmans Run, which are downstream of Neal Run, will be able to support more fish.
We graciously thank the partners who contributed to this system, who were: Aultman Watershed Association for Restoring the Environment (AWARE); BioMost, Inc.; Central Blair Electric Company; Kiski-Conemaugh Stream Team; G&C Lab; Indiana University of PA (IUP); PADEP-Cambria DMO; Stream Restoration Incorporated; volunteers.
