Aerial view of the Harbison Walker Restoration Site a day after construction was completed of the Phase I passive treatment system (foreground). The active treatment system, which Phase II replaced, can be seen in the back of the photo.

Harbison-Walker Restoration Effort

Several mine discharges are associated with an old 120-acre surface clay and coal mine, known as the Harbison Walker site. In 1999, Phase I of the project received funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and construction was completed in five weeks.

The improvements in water quality were such a success at Phase I that interest soon followed to develop a second passive treatment system to treat several other discharges that existed on the site. Phase II was constructed to replace an existing active treatment system.