MORRIS RUN TRIBUTARY

The Morris Run watershed encompasses 7 square-miles in Ward and Hamilton Townships.  This area was deep and surface mined for coal and there are multiple sources of AMD as well as minor sources of AMD.  The headwaters of Morris Run are impacted by acid deposition and possibly tannic acid.

In 2015, the TCCCC/Hillside Watershed Committee received a Department of Community and Economic Development grant through the Abandoned Mine Drainage Treatment and Abatement Program to perform a comprehensive study of the Morris Run watershed.  A tremendous amount of data was collected, including the development of a GIS database for the underground mine complex, and several proposals for treating the AMD impacting Morris Run.  Unfortunately the costs to construct and maintain the proposed treatment plant were significant and nearly impossible for a volunteer watershed committee to address.  Fortunately, over the many years we have been working on the watershed, we have developed excellent relationships with the various agencies within DEP as well as SRBC.  When Federal funds for AML Pilot projects were reallocated, BAMR met with representatives from TCCCC to discuss treating both Morris Run and Coal Creek. 

There are a number of different government funding programs that will be utilized to design, construct, operate and maintain the proposed treatment plant.  SRBC will oversee and manage the project.  SRBC prepared a Qualified Hydrologic Unit (QHU) plan for the watershed which is required to apply to these funding sources.  The QHU was approved in late December 2019.  While we are a number of years away from project completion, it is gratifying to know that the Upper Tioga River Watershed will be reclaimed!

Please see Tioga River Abandoned Mine Drainage Treatment Plant Project for updates about this tributary.