NANTICOKE CREEK WATERSHED RESTORATION

Located in the City of Nanticoke, Hanover and Newport Townships, and Warrior Run Borough, the Nanticoke Creek watershed (NCW) is a small sub-watershed of the Susquehanna River Basin. It has numerous impairments due to legacy anthracite coal mining, including obstructions, flow loss, dry streambeds, and acid mine drainage (AMD) discharges. In fact, only 30% of the streams in the watershed have the hydrological, ecological, and aesthetic qualities/functions of a natural stream. In 2019, EC embarked on an evaluation of the upper reaches of the watershed, located around the former Truesdale colliery. In the report, it’s noted that the stream has healthy baseflow in its upper reaches and good ecological health. Subsequently, however, flow is intermittent or absent: the landscape is highly irregular with piles of mine spoils, closed depressions, and other disturbances. One large pile of mine refuse near Hanover Street completely blocks flow from progressing downstream. At other points, flow is lost to subsurface mine voids. This results in acid mine runoff and drainage (AMD), much of which is discharged at the Askam borehole and partially treated by EC’s AMD treatment system. The NCW project seeks to restore the historic alignment of the Nanticoke Creek, beginning near Clarks Cross Road and progressing upstream. Impairments on both tributaries – the Upper Nanticoke Creek and Leuder Creek – also will be addressed. In total, nearly 15,000lf of permanent stream and floodway impacts are planned.

January 2025 |Clearing and grubbing begins near the Phase I&II site near Middle Road and Clarks Cross Road.

October – November 2024 | EC publicly solicits bids for a construction contractor for Phases I & II of the project. A contract is executed with Stell Enterprises. A kick-off meeting is held at EC’s offices with staff from PADEP.

June 2024 | EC publishes its final Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives for public review.

April 2024 | EC publishes its Community Involvement Plan for Phases I & II of the NCW project. The document will be updated as outreach activities continue throughout the project’s duration.

October 2023 | EC is awarded a $17.5 million AML/AMD Program grant from PA DEP for restoration of the Nanticoke Creek watershed, which, when paired with previous US EPA grant, will fund majority of the project. RFP is publicly released for engineering and construction services. George M. Albert, PE, LLC, is selected as consultant.

May 2023 | EC is awarded a nearly $1.96 million Brownfields Cleanup award from the US EPA for Phases I & II of the project, which will realign ±700lf of the Nanticoke Creek and restore an additional 1,750lf of channel.

March 2019 | Proposals are received. EC executes a contract for services with George Albert, PE, LLC. GPI will serve as a subconsultant.

January 2019 | EC solicits for professional services to perform a full assessment of the upper reaches of the Nanticoke Creek watershed for its restoration. Project is self-funded by EC; includes design and permitting.