Eleven students from Westminster College’s Environmental Analysis course teamed up with the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition (SRWC) during the spring 2025 semester to assess the effectiveness of a passive treatment system for abandoned mine drainage (AMD) at the Erico Bridge site.
Students partner with Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition to evaluate mine drainage treatment system
Abandoned mine drainage, a long-standing environmental issue in western Pennsylvania, often contains acidic water and elevated levels of metals that can harm aquatic life and water quality.
To address this, the SRWC uses passive treatment systems—natural solutions like limestone beds and constructed wetlands—that help neutralize acidity and remove harmful metals.
As part of the collaboration, students visited the Erico Bridge site, where SRWC representatives provided an overview of the treatment system, and assisted with field sampling and analysis.
Back in the lab, students conducted further testing to evaluate the system’s performance.
Preliminary results showed the passive system effectively reduced acidity and iron concentrations.
However, the data also pointed to the need for system maintenance to enhance treatment of other pollutants.
The class presented their findings at Westminster’s Undergraduate Research and Arts Celebration in April.
In May, rising seniors Jamie Robertson and Rachel Brady shared the results on behalf of the class at SRWC’s monthly meeting.
Robertson is an environmental science major from Lake Balboa, Calif., while Brady is a biology major from Columbus, Pa.
“The AMD project was a great opportunity to apply what we learned in class and lab to a real-world problem,” said one student. “Visiting the treatment site and working together in the field really strengthened our connection as a class.”
For more information about this project, contact Dr. Helen Boylan, professor of environmental science, at 724-946-6293 or boylanhm@westminster.edu.
Related Articles This Week - Watershed:
-- Chesapeake Bay Program Seeks Public Comments On Revised Watershed Agreement; 5 Webinars Set Starting July 2 [PaEN]
-- MorningAgClips.com: Chesapeake Bay Foundation Releases Updated Resource Guide For Pennsylvania’s Beginning Farmers
-- Allegheny Conservation District: Building Vibrant Communities, Solutions To Natural Resource Challenges Like Flooding, Degraded Water Quality, Habitat Loss, More
-- DEP Education: Stream Continuity Best Practice Designs For Culvert, Bridge Crossings
NewsClips:
-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Jeremy Cox: A New Chesapeake Bay Agreement - What’s In, What’s Out?
-- Williamsport Sun: Wyoming Valley Sanitation Authority Completes Streambank Restoration Project On Mill Creek
-- PublicSource.org: Allegheny County Loses Millions In Green Infrastructure Grants As Feds Cut Funding, Ease Regulations
-- Pike Conservation District: How Geology Shapes Our Streams
-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Jeremy Cox: Susquehanna River Basin In PA Falling Short On Climate Change Flooding Prep, Penn State Study Says
-- Tribune-Democrat: Somerset County Fund, Pirates Support Flood Relief Efforts
-- TheCoolDown.com: Residents Of Chambersburg, Hanover Celebrate Critical Water Supply Rebounds After Recent Crisis
-- Warren Times: Penn State Watershed Stewards Offer Watershed-Friendly Native Plant Kits
[Posted: July 2, 2025] PA Environment Digest
No comments :
Post a Comment