The Quakake Tunnel abandoned mine discharge (AMD) treatment facility will treat the large-flow discharge impacting Wetzel Creek, Quakake Creek, and Black Creek to its confluence with the Lehigh River in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. The treatment plant will include tunnel outfall collection, a hydrated lime mix tank, polymer addition, two conventional clarifiers, and aluminum sludge handling.

A Trout Stream in Waiting

The Black Creek drainage, including Wetzel Creek and Quakake Creek, is significantly impacted by a large-flow abandoned mine tunnel-drainage discharge. That discharge, which can be in excess of 20,000 gallons per minute after precipitation events, has rendered 10 miles of those potential cold-water streams as fishless due to added acidity and aluminum loading. The AMD-polluted Black Creek then confluences with the Lehigh River within the Lehigh Gorge State Park which will also be improved through the project.

Treatment Facility Solution

Kleinfelder is in the process of value engineering an 85-percent active treatment plant design project for the Quakake Tunnel discharge. A part of the value engineering is the evaluation and consideration of other techniques in terms of discharge outfall capture and polymer usage that may allow higher flows to be treated within the clarifier-plant leading to more effective high flow treatment and better water quality within the Black Creek drainage. In addition, Kleinfelder will explore alternatives for management and handling of the primarily aluminum hydroxide treatment solid by-product that will need to be disposed.

Kleinfelder is also evaluating methods to lessen costs and maintenance duties by reducing or eliminating stormwater impacts and detritus from entering the treatment plant.

Project Results

The goal of the project is to design and construct a mine drainage treatment plant which will restore 10 miles of Wetzel, Quakake, and Black Creeks to a viable sport fishery to their confluence with the Lehigh River. Black Creek, popular with paddlers, enters the Lehigh River within the Lehigh Gorge State Park.

Project Details

Location:
Packer Township, PA
Owner:
Pennsylvania Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation