Title:

G00-NPS-10 Upper Cedar Creek (WRAS)

Sponsor:

MDNR-Land Reclamation Program

Project Manager:

Stuart Miller
P.O.Box 176
Jefferson City, MO 65102
573-751-4041

Project Period:

10/1/1999 - 10/31/2002

319 Grant Funds:

$150,000

Project Description:

Upper Cedar Creek Project

Cedar Creek is located in Central Missouri along the Boone and Callaway County border, approximately 12 miles east of Columbia, Missouri. Cedar Creek flows 44 miles to its juncture with the Missouri River. The headwaters consist of a low gradient muddy prairie stream with the downstream portion becoming a clear Ozark border stream. The invertebrates and smallmouth bass that inhabit the Ozark Border stream segment of Cedar Creek are very susceptible to the affects of mine drainage.

Approximately 2000 acres of coal strip mining occurred in the watershed of Upper Cedar Creek prior to passage of SMCRA (Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act) in 1977. This mining changed the hydrology of the upper portion of Cedar Creek. The mining operation affected the stream and associated floodplain and exposed pyrite-rich overburden to the surface environment. Once exposed to the surface environment the overburden generated great amounts of acidic, mineralized drainage that prevented natural revegetation and significantly degraded water quality.

By 1990, three reclamation projects totaling 704 acres had been completed in the Cedar Creek Watershed by the Missouri Land Reclamation Program through grants provided by the U.S. Office of Surface Mining. Although most of the reclaimed acreage is well vegetated and stable some areas of the Upper Cedar Creek Project remain unvegetated and contribute mine drainage to Cedar Creek. This is largely due to barren acidic spoil, acidic seeps and eroding streambanks that contribute acidic sediments and acidic mine drainage to the Upper Cedar Creek Watershed. Although water quality has greatly improved since 1990 approximately 3 miles remain on the 303(d) list of affected waters due to high sulfates and low pH.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Missouri Land Reclamation Program will conduct reclamation activities over a three-year period to alleviate the affects of mine drainage on Cedar Creek. Passive treatment systems consisting of anoxic limestone drains, successive alkalinity producing systems and wetlands will be constructed to treat mine drainage from seeps. These passive systems take advantage of naturally occurring chemical and biological processes to treat contaminated mine waters.

Streambank stabilization will occur along Cedar Creek where past flooding and erosion are causing acid sediments to enter Cedar Creek. These eroded areas will be stabilized with limestone rock and vegetation, thereby minimizing acid generation caused by this erosion. Several rock berms will be constructed in Cedar Creek to prolong base flow during the summer to dilute acid mine drainage.

Approximately 50 acres of acidic mine spoil will be treated with agricultural lime to neutralize acidity and revegetated with warm season grasses. Heavy amounts of lime will be surface applied prior to deep ripping. This reclamation technique will neutralize acid spoil, thereby improving the surface and groundwater quality of the site.

The U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division will conduct quarterly water sampling during the three-year project period. This chemical and biological water sampling will assess the impacts of mine drainage on Cedar Creek and will document improvements during the life of the project.

OBJECTIVES

1.To improve water quality in Cedar Creek and reduce the stream miles affected through mine drainage by 50 percent;
2.To assist in the development of TMDL's on the Cedar Creek Watershed through water quality monitoring; and
3.To derive information regarding the success of different passive treatment techniques utilized in the project so that information can be used on other mine drainage problems within the state.

PRODUCTS

A Watershed Restoration Action Strategy (WRAS) document will be developed for the project watershed. Attendance at field days will be tracked.

PROJECT SPONSOR

Missouri Land Reclamation Program

COOPERATING AGENCIES

U.S. Geological Survey Biological Resources Division; U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; U.S. Forest Service; Missouri Department of Conservation; Boone and Callaway Conservation Districts, local landowners and downstream landowners.

CONTACT

Missouri Land Reclamation Program
P.O. Box 176
Jefferson City, Mo. 65102
Stuart Miller
telephone: 573-751-4041
email: nrmills@dnr.state.mo.us