1. Optimizing Resources for Restoring Acid Mine Drainage Impaired Watersheds in WV (Part 2)
J. Todd Petty, Richard Herd, Paul Ziemkiewicz,
Jen Fulton, Brady Gutta,
Mike Strager and Julie Svetlik
West Virginia Water Research Institute
National Mine Land Reclamation Center
Watershed Assistance Center
Division of Forestry
West Virginia University

2. Relevant Spatial Scales
8 digit
12 digit
Site Scale
Segment Scale
10 digit

3. Extent of Mining Impact in the upper Monongahela River Basin

4. Three Fork of Tygart Valley River
Monongahela River
Drainage area = 267 km2
80 AMLs mapped
73 km impaired
32 sampling sites

5. EU = Functional Weight x Stream Segment Length (km)
EcoUnit Concept
= a measure of the functional significance of a measurable unit of stream (length or surface area).
EU = Functional Weight x Stream Segment Length (km)
calculated for all stream segments within a defined area
scalable from stream segment to whole watershed
decision making “currency”
Examples:
Brook Trout Reproductive Habitat EcoUnit = stream length (m) weighted by its potential value as habitat for brook trout spawning and juvenile recruitment (Petty and Thorne 2005; Jeffers et al. 2008).
Warmwater Fishery EcoUnit = stream surface area (km2) weighted by its potential value as habitat for smallmouth bass (Merovich and Petty 2007).
Invertebrate Diversity EcoUnit = stream surface area (km2) weighted by its potential to support diverse macroinvertebrate assemblages (Merovich and Petty 2007).
Organic Matter Processing EcoUnit = stream length (m) weighted by its potential value in converting coarse particulate organic matter to biomass.

6. EU Weighting Functions
Ecological Condition and Potential
Restoration Potential

7. EcoUnit Calculation HEU = SL x EP = Historic EUs
CEU = SL x EP x EC = Current EUs
LEU = HEU – CEU = Lost EUs
*REU = LEU x ER = Restorable EUs
FEU = CEU + REU = Future EUs
SL = segment length
EP = ecological potential weight
EC = ecological condition weight
ER = ecological restorability weight

8. Estimates of Current EUs (diversity)
HEUs = 386 km
HEUs = 259 km
LEUs = 126 km
REUs – dependent on specific remediation technologies and placement

9. Restorable EUs in the Upper Mon

10. Remediation Alternatives

11. Restoration Alternatives
Alternative 1 – In-stream dosers in the North and South Forks of Birds Creek, and in-stream dosers in Squires Run and Racoon Run.
Alternative 2 – Same as alternative 1 with the addition of at-source passive treatment in Brains Creek.
Alternative 3 – Same as alternative 1 with the exception of utilizing one doser in the mainstem of Birds Creek rather than one each in the North and South Forks.

12. Future Expected Conditions (diversity)
Current = 259 EUs
Alt 2 = 294 EUs
Alt 3= 283 EUs

13. Recoverable EcoUnits (km)
Restoration Benefits
Recoverable EcoUnits (km)
Alternative
Diversity
Coldwater Fishery
Warmwater
Fishery
Overall Fishery 1
32.8
17.4
23.0
34.1 2
34.9
19.2
24.0
35.9 3
30.7
15.4
22.5
32.2
Restoration Costs
Alternative
Capital Cost
Annual
O & M
Total 20 yr Cost 1
$763,253
$163,253
$3,865,053 2
$847,621
$171,689
$4,118,158 3
$603,749
$153,749
$3,524,971

14. Net Present Value of Restoration Net Present Value of Alternatives
(2008 dollars, discounted at 3%)
Alternative
Total
1 Year
5 Year
10 Year
20 Year 1
(985,482)
(987,290)
(432,863)
466,321 2
(1,075,932)
(1,023,406)
(379,589)
663,672 3
(832,220)
(921,923)
(502,601)
178,924
NPV = (total benefit – total cost) x annual discounting factor.
Fishery benefits = $28,000 / fishery mile (from USFWS 2006).
Benefits (from restored fishery miles) begin accruing in year 3.
Parentheses indicate a net cost to restoration.

15. Conclusions
Our strategic process provides an objective means for making decisions about how best to invest restoration dollars into AMD impacted watersheds in WV.
Full, at-source cleanup of AMD sources in this watershed was projected to cost over $10 M.
We were able to show that a more strategic approach to restoration could produce a 92% recovery in fishery units at less than half the original cost ($4.1 M).
We also were able to show that a more strategic approach could produce a positive NPV over a 20 year period (>$650,000).

16. Conclusions
We believe that our decision making process is applicable throughout the eastern coal mining region where AMD from pre-law mining has severely impacted streams and their resident fish populations.
The process should enable stakeholders to maximize ecological benefits while minimizing the overall costs of restoration in one particular area.
Ultimately, this should facilitate the efficient recovery of fisheries resources in mining impaired watersheds throughout the eastern US.