Clearfield Creek Watershed Association has several projects in the area, including Brubaker, Gibson, Klondike, Sand Springs, Swank, and West Ferris Wheel. To learn more about each individual site, please use the drop down menu under "CCWA Projects"
A major focus of the Clearfield Creek Watershed Assoc. (CCWA) has been on curing the extensive negative effects of acid mine drainage on Clearfield Creek and its tributaries. Initially, in 2002-4, the main effort was on an assessment of the problem. With state funding, the Cambria and Clearfield Conservation Districts sampled the mouths of about 100 tributaries quarterly to determine which subwatersheds were acid sources. A large report was prepared in 2004 on these results, with ranking of tributaries. Then members of CCWA walked many polluted tribs and field sampled any inflows. If the inflow had low pH, a weir was installed and it was sampled, usually monthly, for lab analysis for a year. Areas examined and sampled in this way in early years included Amsbry area (4 sites), Little Laurel Run (6 sites), Brubaker Run (6 sites), and Powell Run near Blandburg (5 sites). In later years a major study was done on Muddy Run (28 sites) and Valley Fork near Clearfield (6 sites). In addition, sampling by Clearfield County Conservation staff covered Morgan Run, Potts Run and others.
Since this early stage, passive treatment systems of several types have been constructed on many sites. In a vertical flow pond, used for iron-bearing water, the acid water enters a pond underlain by a layer of compost underlain by a bed of limestone fragments. Perforated pipes in the bottom of the limestone allow the water to flow down thru the compost and limestone; then out to the surface, usually an open settling pond. In flushable limestone beds, used mainly for Al-rich water, the water flows into a bed of 2-3 inch limestone and is neutralized, precipitating the Al. Periodically a timed outflow valve opens and allows rapid flow
out of the bed, flushing the white Al precipitate into a settling pond. Wetlands are beds or channels in which cattails and other plants grow in substrate rich in organic matter and usually added limestone. The plants help capture fine particles and further treat the water. These passive systems are designed to last 20-25 years with only low level maintenance and inspection.
