With a local volunteer organization, I witnessed the impact of acid mine drainage, seeping up from abandoned coal and clay mines, and poisoning local watersheds. In some of these streams, acidity levels (pH) can be comparable to that of soda and vinegar, creating an ecosystem where wildlife is unable to live or reproduce.
Volunteers testing creek water acidity (pH) levels (Centre Co., Pennsylvania) - 2024
Acid mine drainage (Centre Co., Pennsylvania) - 2024
Acid mine drainage (seepage) flowing into the creek from abandoned coal mines (Centre Co., Pennsylvania) - 2024
Acid mine drainage (Centre Co., Pennsylvania) - 2024
Acid mine drainage (Centre Co., Pennsylvania) - 2024
Acid mine drainage (Centre Co., Pennsylvania) - 2024
Acid mine drainage impaired creek water acidity testing (Centre Co., Pennsylvania) - 2024
2024 - Large pile of refuse coal dumped into the creek more than 75 years ago (Centre Co., Pennsylvania).
Metal eating bacteria blanketing stagnant creek water rife with acid mine drainage (Centre Co., Pennsylvania) - 2024.
Metal eating bacteria blanketing stagnant creek water rife with acid mine drainage (Centre Co., Pennsylvania) - 2024.
Metal eating bacteria covering some creek water rife with acid mine drainage (Centre Co., Pennsylvania) - 2024.
Wild clay at abandoned porcelain clay mine (Centre Co., Pennsylvania) - 2024.
Artist in carved out/abandoned porcelain clay mine (Centre Co., Pennsylvania) - 2024.
Wild clay and Acid mine drainage (AMD) collected in the field (Centre Co., Pennsylvania) - 2024.