ROBBINS HOLLOW
ROBBINS HOLLOW TAG
Based on the data that was available for the Restoration Plan, Robbins Hollow was polluted by only one discharge. A grant was made the Growing Greener Program and the Office of Surface Mining in order to construct a treatment system for this discharge as described in the Restoration Plan developed by HE. However, further investigations by HE and Trout Unlimited revealed that the headwaters of Robbins Hollow was also polluted by mine drainage above this discharge.
Trout Unlimited requested technical assistance from Hedin Environmental through the DEP's Technical Assistance Grants (TAG) Program. The purpose of this assistance was to document all sources of mine drainage to Robbins Hollow and to determine what percentage of the pollution each discharge was contributing.
This technical assistance revealed several springs and discharges to the headwaters of Robbins Hollow. These discharges produced more pollution combined than the original discharge. Based on this work, the DEP and OSM agreed to redirect the funding from the original discharge location to these new discharges. (See Below).
ROBBINS HOLLOW HEADWATERS TREATMENT SYSTEMS
Four systems were designed to treat polluted discharges that form the headwaters of Robbins Hollow. These systems were designed based on the results of the Robbins Hollow TAG project. This project was funded by the Office of Surface Mining and the Growing Greener Program. The project is located in the Sproul State Forest.
The headwaters area contains several “springs” and discharges. Some of these discharges contain metals, while others have a low pH but no metals. Two of the systems were vertical flow-type systems that are necessary to treat discharges that are contaminated with aluminum. The other two systems were ALD/open limestone pond systems that will be used to treat low-pH discharges that do not contain metals. These treatment systems will remove acidity and metals and add excess alkalinity to the headwaters of Robbins Hollow.
The Headwaters passive systems were consturcted in 2005. The systems are successfully treating AMD and have resulted in significant water quality improvements to Robbins Hollow.
