Montour Trail-Letter

by Stan Sattinger

MTC's Founding Father, and board member, Stan Sattinger, displays a giant grant check for $62,800 to the newly incorporated Montour Run Watershed Association. The grant money will be used for the protection of the Montour Run stream banks

The newly incorporated Montour Run Watershed Association (MRWA) will receive a $62,800 grant to install carbonate rock linings to protect the banks of Montour Run against erosion due to the increased runoff of storm water while helping neutralize acid from abandoned mine drainage. The grant award was presented at a special ceremony during the MRWA-sponsored "stream walk" held on November 4 to identify undiscovered abandoned mine drainage sites within the watershed. The presentation was made by the Department of of Environmental Protection (DEP) Deputy Secretary for Mineral Resources Management, Robert Dolence and Pennsylvania Legislative Representative, John Pippy. Taking on active roles as partners with the MRWA in this project will be the Department of Engineering and Construction of Allegheny County and the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S.

Department of Agriculture. "This project will have a beneficial impact on the Montour Trail," said County engineer and MTC Board member Dave Wright. "We will be stabilizing sections of stream bank where erosion is actually beginning to undermine the wearing surface of the Trail."

Stream bank erosion is one of the most common and recurring problems throughout the 37-square-mile Montour Run Watershed. Particularly heavy scouring is occurring in numerous short sections of the banks along the main trunk of Montour Run. This scouring produces siltation in the stream channel, which reduces its storm-water-holding capacity. The potential for flash flooding has increased over the last few years, and there have been adverse effects on fish and other aquatic life. With proper measures taken to clean up mine discharges and reduce siltation, Montour Run has high potential as a habitat for trout and other sport fishing.

The scope of work for this project will include permitting and other engineering prerequisites, followed by the placement of 830 lineal feet of rip-rap stone in revetments at ten designated sites along the main trunk of Montour Run. These sites are located in Moon, Robinson, and Findlay Townships. Placement of the stone will be preceded by the installation of a layer of geotextile filter fabric. All work should be completed within a twelve-month period.

The grant is being funded through the "Reclaim PA" program of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Reclaim PA consists of: legislative, policy and management initiatives to increase abandoned mine reclamation and acid mine drainage abatement by volunteers; the active mining industry; and the DEP. Reclaim PA stresses a watershed approach to cleaning up pollution from past mining practices.