Last week, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) hosted a ribbon-cutting celebration for its Muddy Creek Watershed Restoration Project at the T&T Treatment Facility. The project is a public-private partnership between the WVDEP and Southwestern Energy through the ECH20 Water Conservation Initiative.
Due to mine blowouts from the T&T Mine Complex in 1994 and 1995, along with impacts from a collection of other mining sites throughout the Muddy Creek watershed, the lower 3.4 miles of Muddy creek have been devastated by acid mine drainage (AMD).
The T&T Treatment Facility, which went into full operation in March 2018, is a major contributor to the success of this restoration project. The treatment facility is capable of treating 6 million gallons of AMD per day and allows for remote operation and control. The WVDEP and its partners have been able to reestablish biological connectivity throughout the entire 15.6 miles of Muddy Creek, and freshwater trout and other early signs of aquatic life are beginning to emerge.
To learn more about the project, click here.
