Mill Creek Coalition

The Mill Creek Coalition (MCC) is a group of interested citizens, volunteering their time to the reclamation of the Mill Creek watershed that spans Jefferson and Clarion Counties. MCC was formed in 1990 and since its inception has completed approximately 40 projects for an investment of roughly $12 million.

As with many watersheds in Pennsylvania, Mill Creek was actively strip-mined prior to the 1977 passage of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA), resulting in streams impaired by acid mine drainage.

If you are interested in joining MCC where you can be part of making positive changes to the Millcreek Watershed for generations to come, please reach out to one of the following
members: Terry Morrow (814) 221-1942, Pete Dalby (814) 227-3392, William
Smathers (814) 221-1956, or Jim Reed (814) 229-4582.

Millcreek Coalition Documents:

The Qualified Hydraulic Unit Plan (QHUP) was developed in 2020 to assess current water quality conditions throughout the Mill Creek and Little Mill Creek watersheds and identify areas and stream sections that have been restored, and areas and sections that need additional focused efforts either through additional improvements to existing systems or new systems and approaches in the focus areas.

Information about the Mill Creek Watershed: This document, written in 2020, describes features that are associated with the Millcreek Watershed of Clarion and Jefferson Counties.

Final Report of a Pilot Project on the West Branch of Jones Run, Mill Creek Watershed, Clarion County: Stream Application of Code 60 Limestone Fines Into an AMD Affected Stream: This document, printed December 2019, was prepared by the Mill Creek Coalition (MCC) with project funding administered by the Clarion Conservation District. The purpose of this project was to investigate the applicability of utilizing Code 60 high quality
limestone fines (powder, sands, grit) to address a small AMD affected stream, the West Branch of Jones Run. As a pilot project, its intent was to determine the effect of limestone fines on an approximately one-mile length of the stream for a minimal period of 1-3 months. It also was intended to evaluate whether the Clarion Twp. road crew had the flexibility in their schedule to move the limestone fines into the West Branch within a reasonable period of time from a township stockpile location to the Carney Road culvert treatment site, approximately a distance of one mile.

Assessment of AMD Discharges in the Downstream Section of Little Mill Creek: This document, printed October 2016, is based on a January 25, 2016 technical report provided by Hedin Environmental for Headwaters Charitable Trust Trout Unlimited AMD Technical Assistance Program.

Mill Creek and Little Mill Creek Macroinvertebrate Assessment, October 2012 & Overview of Water Quality and Fisheries Improvements Over the Past 25 Years of the Mill Creek Coalition : This document, printed in 2015, was prepared by Eric Chapman, Director of Aquatic Science for the Watershed Conservation Program at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC), with collaborative narrative provided by the Mill Creek Coalition (MCC). The project funding was administered by the Headwaters Charitable Trust.

History of the Mill Creek Coalition & Future Plans: This document, written in 2011, is a 20-Year (1990-2010) Review of the Accomplishments of the Mill Creek Coalition of Clarion and Jefferson Counties, with a Five-Year Plan for 2011-2015.

Analysis of Changes in Macroinvertebrate Communities on the Mill Creek Watershed
Resulting from Passive Treatment of Acid Mine Drainage: This document was written in 2011 by Amy Beth Myers as a thesis to receive her Master of Science in Biology degree at the Graduate College of Clarion University of Pennsylvania. This research was centered on Little Mill Creek because it was an extensively damaged tributary in the watershed and up to this point has had the most treatment. The goal of this research was to determine to what extent macroinvertebrate populations have changed as AMD treatment systems have been constructed. Macroinvertebrate diversity, generic richness, relative abundance and species accumulation were assessed for the years 1997 to 2006.

Millcreek Watershed Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL): This TMDL calculation was prepared by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on March 10th, 2009. It was done to address the impairments noted on the 1996 Pennsylvania 303(d) list of impaired waters, required under the Clean Water Act. Metals in acidic discharge water from abandoned coalmines causes the impairment. The TMDL addresses the three primary metals associated with acid mine drainage (iron, manganese, aluminum), and pH.

Little Mill Creek Watershed Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL): This TMDL calculation has been prepared by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on October 25th, 2005 for the Little Mill Creek Watershed. It was done to address the impairments noted on the 1996 Pennsylvania 303(d) list of impaired waters, required under the Clean Water Act. Metals in acidic discharge water from abandoned coalmines causes the impairment. The TMDL addresses the three primary metals associated with acid mine drainage (iron, manganese, aluminum), and pH.

Douglass & Jones Runs Watershed Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL): This TMDL calculation was prepared by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on February 21st, 2003. It was done to address the impairments noted on the 1996 Pennsylvania 303(d) list of impaired waters, required under the Clean Water Act. High levels of metals, and in some areas depressed pH, caused these impairments. All impairments resulted from drainage from abandoned coalmines. The TMDL
addresses the three primary metals associated with acid mine drainage (iron, manganese,
aluminum), and pH.

Whites Run Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL): This TMDL calculation has been prepared by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on March 1st, 2001 for the Whites Run segment in the lower portion of the Mill Creek Watershed. It was done to address the impairments noted on the 1996 Pennsylvania 303(d) list of impaired waters, required under the Clean Water Act. Metals in acidic discharge water from abandoned coalmines along with the natural condition of ground water associated with an absence or scarcity of alkaline producing material in the flow path of the water cause the impairment. The TMDL addresses pH and the three primary metals associated with acidic mine drainage (iron, manganese, aluminum).

Parks Run Watershed Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL): This TMDL calculation has been prepared by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on February 21st, 2001 for the Parks Run Watershed segment in the upper portion of the Mill Creek Watershed. It was done to address the impairments noted on the 1996 Pennsylvania 303(d) list of impaired waters, required under the Clean Water Act. The impairment was caused by depressed pH. The impairment resulted from acid drainage from abandoned coal mines and the natural condition of ground water associated with an absence or paucity of alkaline producing material in the flow path of the water. The TMDL addresses acidity to assure that the standards for pH are met.

Millcreek ScarLift Report: In an Engineering Agreement, SL-133-5, dated February 28, 1975, Gwin Engineers, Inc. was contracted by the Department of Environmental Resources of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to perform an acid mine drainage abatement study on the Mill Creek
Watershed, Clarion and Jefferson Counties, Pennsylvania. The purpose of this study was to determine the amount, nature, and origin of pollution by acid mine drainage in the watershed and to recommend procedures for the abatement of such pollution.