Morgan Run is a tributary of Clearfield Creek. The headwaters are located in Decatur Township, northwest of Ashland and the stream flows north into Boggs Township where it makes a 90˚ turn to the west and empties into Clearfield Creek, upstream of Dimeling.
Morgan Run Assessment & Restoration PlanDescription: This project began as Phase II of the Clearfield Creek Assessment project. A component of this project was to walk Morgan Run and identify the largest contributors of abandoned mine drainage (AMD). These various discharges were sampled for a year. This sampling included water chemistry and flow. Morgan Run was shown to be one of the larger contributors to the AMD problem in Clearfield Creek.
Next, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) chose Morgan Run as part of a Year-2 small watershed study in the West Branch of the Susquehanna. They sampled all of the mine discharges for another year along with some points in Morgan Run itself. They also completed macroinvertebrate (aquatic insect) and fish surveys.All of this information was used to develop the restoration plan for Morgan Run, which was completed in 2006. In this plan, the various AMD sites were prioritized for treatment. This plan will be the guide used to restore Morgan Run.
MR TUFF is an in-stream point located near the headwaters (starting point) of Morgan Run. This point collects the water from a backfilled mine area. Basically, Morgan Run is affected by AMD from the very start.First, the Clearfield County Conservation District received a grant in 2004 for the design and permitting of the passive treatment system. Then they received a grant for the construction of the system, which was completed in2009 .
There are 2 passive treatment systems for this area of AMD. Water is being taken directly from the stream. The flow is split into the 2 different systems because each one has a maximum amount of water it can treat. The first system which handles normal flow collects the water into a sediment pond which then goes into a vertical flow pond. Then water goes to a settling pond, the limestone pond, then into a final settling pond/wetland. The intake for the second system is further downstream. Water that makes it to the second intake during high flow situations goes through a limestone pond and a settling pond before being discharged into Morgan Run. If the stream flow is too high for both systems to handle, water will be bypassed and continue down Morgan Run
Partners: Clearfield County Conservation District, Morgan Run Watershed Group, Clearfield Creek Watershed Association, Clearfield County Senior Environment Corps
Landowners: Joe and Bruce Smith, Edward and Shannon Hampton
Consultants: New Miles of Blue Stream, Alder Run Engineering
Contractors: Earthmovers, Inc.
Funding Sources: Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Program; Growing Greener, Office of Surface Mining (OSM)
MR FROG AMD PASSIVE TREATMENT SYSTEM
Description: The MR FROG discharge is located downstream of MR TUFF. This AMD site is formed from a series of abandoned treatment ponds that are located below a reclaimed surface mine. First, the Clearfield County Conservation District received a grant in 2004 for the design and permitting of the passive treatment system. Then they received a grant for the construction of the system, which was completed in 2009.
Two separate systems were constructed to treat 2 different seeps, but they have the same components. Each discharge area is being treated by a limestone pond, settling pond and a wetland.
Partners: Clearfield County Conservation District, Morgan Run Watershed Group, Clearfield Creek Watershed Association, Clearfield County Senior Environment Corps
Landowners: Joe and Bruce Smith
Consultants: New Miles of Blue Stream, Alder Run Engineering
Contractors: Earthmovers, Inc.
Funding Sources: Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Program; Growing Greener, Office of Surface Mining (OSM)
MR TUFF Wetlands Mitigation Project
Description: In constructing the MR TUFF system, some wetlands were disturbed. These had to be replaced through a process known as mitigation. The sites chosen were downstream, one near the MR 8 site and one near the MR 7 site, which is the old Passmore clay mine.
At the MR 8 site, spoil was moved and buried for the wetland to be constructed. For MR 7 an existing wetland was expanded. Overall, 1.75acres of new wetlands were created that will enhance wildlife habitat and help improve Morgan Run.
Partners: Clearfield County Conservation District, Morgan Run Watershed Group, Clearfield Creek Watershed Association, Clearfield County Senior Environment Corps
Landowners: Steve Stenenberger, Dan Dixon
Consultants: New Miles of Blue Stream, Alder Run Engineering
Contractors: EM Brown
Funding Sources: County Environmental Initiative
MR 8 AMD DISCHARGE
Description: This AMD point is downstream of MR FROG. It is a small tributary that forms at the toe of a spoil pile (coal refuse pile) from a reclaimed surface mine. The tributary used to flow past a large spoil pile that since has been removed during the MR TUFF Wetland Mitigation project. This project was for design and permitting of the passive treatment system. The project partners are awaiting funding for construction of the treatment system at this time.
Partners: Clearfield County Conservation District, Morgan Run Watershed Group, Clearfield Creek Watershed Association, Clearfield County Senior Environment Corps
Landowners: Steve Stenenberger
Consultants: New Miles of Blue Stream, Alder Run Engineering
Contractors: N/A
Funding Sources: Canaan Valley Institute
MR 7 AMD DISCHARGE
Description: The source of this AMD discharge is the old Passmore Clay mine. It is located downstream of MR 8.This clay mine discharge comes from abandoned deep mine portal and collects in an impoundment (pond) formed by beavers. Another small tributary enters the impoundment. The water then forms a channel through an area of mine spoil before it reaches Morgan Run. A design has been completed for construction. A grant has been secured to begin to build a treatment system on this discharge.
Partners: Clearfield County Conservation District, Morgan Run Watershed Group, Clearfield Creek Watershed Association, Clearfield County Senior Environment Corps
Landowners: Steve Stenenberger, Dan Dixon
Consultants: New Miles of Blue Stream, Alder Run Engineering
Contractors: N/A
Funding Sources: Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grant, Growing Greener
MR ROSS AMD DISCHARGE
Description: The MR ROSS AMD site is located downstream of the MR7 site. It appears from a trench on a reclaimed surface mine area. It could be either a deep mine entry which was mined through during surface mining or a large discharge that was formed after the mining. The first project was the design and permitting for a treatment system. In 2010, the Clearfield County Conservation District received a grant for the construction. The passive treatment system will consist of two vertical flow ponds, a limestone cell and two settling ponds. A unique feature of this project will be the use of Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA) at the materials disposal area. Here the soil will be loosely graded to improve the growing environment for the trees that will be planted there.
Partners: Clearfield County Conservation District, Morgan Run Watershed Group, Clearfield Creek Watershed Association, Clearfield County Senior Environment Corps
Landowners: Randy and Anita Ross
Consultants: New Miles of Blue Stream, Alder Run Engineering
Contractors: N/A
Funding Sources: Growing Greener