When driving on the highway coming from Nelsonville to Athens, most will not notice the tropical blue hue to the water running through the area.
Only a small sign that says “Monday Creek” indicates that automobiles are driving over a 27-mile long tributary of the Hocking River that has been hit hard by acid draining from mining and has previously been declared a “dead stream” by the Environmental Protection Agency.
To combat this, the Monday Creek Restoration Project, partnered with many other environmental groups, began work in 1994 to restore water quality that had been reduced through acid mine damage.
“(The water shade) is very out of place because of all the aluminum,” said Nate Schlater, watershed coordinator. “It’s a very common thing in this part of Ohio. All of the woods you’re looking at have (mines) in them, but it’s hidden. It’s all around us.”
The watershed group aims to help adjust low pH levels to ideal levels through active treatments called “dosers,” which dispense lime into the stream, and passive treatment, which are limestone impoundments that affect acid content as the water flows through.
Tim Ferrell, a water-quality specialist for the organization, said that the effects of treatment show up through the wildlife living in the water.
“When the restoration project started its work, there were four species of fish, all very tolerant species,” Ferrell said. “Now there are up to 25 species of fish. Aquatic insects are also a good indicator because they have short life cycles and (are) mobile by flight.”
Now, the group not only looks to manage the environment through the watershed group and scientific projects but also to educate children about the world around them.
This will be the third year that the restoration project will hold a day camp for children, and it is seeking funding for the experience through a Chinese Auction to be held on Thursday.
Ideally, through the raffling off of items from local businesses such as Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery and Little Professor Bookstore, Schlater said he hopes to be able to offer the camp free of cost this year.
Nora Sullivan, an Americorps member in her second year with the Monday Creek Restoration Project, said that the group brings in guest speakers, takes camp-goers to The Wilds, a wildlife conservation center in Zanesville, for a day and uses the outdoors to teach lessons about the environment.
“(The kids) have seen acid mine drainage, but don’t understand it,” Sullivan said. “We try to give the children a sense of ownership of place.”
eb104010@ohiou.edu
