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Water Protection |
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 Despite abundant forests and
protected land in the headwaters and natural areas throughout its middle
section, the Loyalhanna Creek Watershed is impacted by a series of challenges.
The major challenges include abandoned mine drainage,
sedimentation as a result
of erosion, and nutrient loading. Each poses a different problem with a
different solution. LWA is involved in projects that are working to address
each of those challenges. To learn more about LWA’s current projects, visit the
Current Projects page.
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Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD)
 Most
of the Loyalhanna Creek Watershed is
underlain with the Pittsburgh coal
seam, which is part of the
Monangahela formation. This seam of
coal was heavily mined in the late
1800s and the early 1900s.
Communities throughout the area
appeared where coalmines were
located. By the 1920s, coal
resources were depleted and many
mines were abandoned. Water was left
to fill and drain from the mines. It
is this draining water that created,
and continues to create, water
pollution problems in the Loyalhanna
Creek Watershed.
The formation of AMD occurs when
rocks in the abandoned mines are
exposed to water and oxygen. Through
a series of chemical reactions,
minerals from the exposed rocks are
dissolved and carried with the water
out of the mine. Because of the
reactions that occur, the water
draining from the mines can be very
acidic (pH 2.0-5.0) or close to
neutral (pH 6.0-7.0). It will also
carry with it different metals in
different concentrations. The most
common metals found in the
Loyalhanna Creek tributaries are
iron and aluminum. The
characteristics of the AMD will vary
depending upon the geology and
hydrology of the area from which it
originates. To learn more about the
chemistry of AMD, visit the Western
PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine
Reclamation Website at http://www.amrclearinghouse.org.
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Erosion/Sedimentation
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Erosion is a common problem
throughout the entire Loyalhanna
Creek Watershed. It occurs where
water has the ability to scour away
at exposed soil, and will carry it
to alternate locations. The speed of
water and amount of plant cover or
vegetation both influence the rate
and severity of erosion.
Sedimentation occurs when excess
solids enter waterways due to stream
bank erosion, road run-off and soil
loss from agricultural areas.
 Many
streamside landowners have removed
streamside vegetation, thus enabling
stream bank erosion to occur. Plants
and trees growing along stream banks
hold soil in place and slow the
velocity of flowing water. It is
critical to ensure that stream banks
are covered with adequate vegetation
to help prevent erosion and
sedimentation on the stream bottom.
The presence of excess sediment
on stream bottoms can cause a
variety of problems for aquatic
life. It coats habitat and food
sources that are critical for fish
and insects living within the
stream. In addition, sediment will
often be deposited in areas that are
not convenient causing waterways to
seek alternate routes. This may
cause flooding or other challenges.
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Nutrient Loading
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Agricultural operations and
household sewage contribute
nutrients such as nitrogen and
phosphorus to waterways within the
Loyalhanna Creek Watershed. Manure
and fertilizers found on
agricultural lands can make their
way to streams through run-off or
livestock contact with streams.
Household sewage often enters
streams from homes with failing or
nonexistent septic systems. Both
problems are abundant within the
watershed. The presence of nutrient
growth is noticeable on the cobble
and gravel that compose the
substrates of many tributary
streams.
When excess nutrients reach our
streams, aquatic plants grow and
thrive. This growth can reach levels
that are dangerous to other aquatic
life. The growing and decomposing
plants utilize oxygen needed by fish
and insects. In addition, growing
plants can crowd habitat and block
out sunlight.
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Stream Data
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Click on the links below to
review collected stream/macroinvertebrate data in
Acrobat PDF format.
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