Catawissa Creek Up for River of the Year
CREEK IS AN EXAMPLE OF COLLABORATION, PERSISTENCE IN TACKLING ABANDONED MINE DRAINAGE ISSUES
Approximately of Pennsylvania waterways are impacted by abandoned mine drainage issues, according to the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition of Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR). 5,500 miles Yet, only a small percentage of them offer the immediate bounce-back potential of the 41.8-mile Catawissa Creek, which flows from underground mine tunnels in the tip of Carbon County through Schuylkill and Columbia counties before entering the North Branch of the Susquehanna River in Catawissa. “The stream itself may be the perfect example of sand and gravel, cobble and boulders – an ideal habitat for fish, microorganisms, benthic macroinvertebrates and all the thing that make up the food web that support the fish that so many people go after,” said Ed Wytovich, president of the Catawissa Creek Restoration Association (CCRA). “It is a drop-dead gorgeous watershed.”
buffer throughout most of its entire length,” said Wytovich. “It also has about 15 tributaries that hold wild brook trout populations. All the ingredients are there for success once the main body of water is cleaned up.” The creek’s potential is one of the main reasons it was nominated – and is now a finalist for -- the 2022 River of the Year designation. Voting is open now through 5 p.m. Jan. 14, 2022. You can vote once per email address, so please consider voting as many times as you can.
via River of the Year designation, the Catawissa can offer a valuable blueprint for similar waterways impacted by abandoned mine drainage.”
Abandoned Tunnels Wreak Havoc on Aquatic Life
Five mine tunnels which were drilled to dewater mines and reduce the amount of pumping needed by coal miners decades ago, discharges water into Catawissa Creek that – before treatment – is high in acidity and aluminum deposits. “Even though the mines were shut down a long time ago, we are still stuck with what’s left of that era because the tunnels are still open and we have water flowing out of them,” said Wytovich. “In the 1960s and 70s, a study looked specifically at the Audenried tunnel, which runs about three miles from the mines until the water exits. It was found to carry about 80 percent of the acid load that kills, literally, the Catawissa Creek. If we were able to fix the issues coming out of the Audenried tunnel, we would restore 40 miles of stream.”
VOTE HERE FOR CATAWISSA CREEK
“River of the Year designation would go a long way toward helping a growing coalition of associations, agencies and individuals clear the final hurdles in cleaning up Catawissa Creek thanks to the increased opportunities for education and awareness,” said Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper John Zaktansky. “Catawissa Creek provides an important example of how persistence and collaboration can truly make a difference in these sort of situations. Through the megaphone provided
Also in the Catawissa’s favor are its location and surroundings.
“The stream goes through some really rural areas that are both forested and farmland. It has a wonderful riparian
The CCRA, in conjunction with the Schuylkill and Columbia county conservation districts and EPCAMR,
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