Saint
Vincent College in cooperation with the US Environmental Protection Agency held the 7th Summer Institute in Watershed Restoration from
May 19 – July 11, 2003. The
Summer Institute is an eight-week, full time, research based experience for
undergraduate students.
Four
teams of students worked on projects and also participated in field trips,
experienced a watershed assessment with the Loyalhanna Watershed Association, and
attended weekly
group meetings to learn more about environmental remediation from a variety of
perspectives.
AMD Treatment with Activated
Iron Sludge
Ashley Steiner from
Saint Vincent College and Jason Clever from Saint Francis University,
supervised by Dr. Daryle Fish.
This field study focused on the use of activated iron sludge (AIS) to
catalyze the oxidation of iron in abandoned mine drainage.
The field study team conducted research that will enhance the
understanding of the AIS process. Students
examined the impact of aluminum precipitation on the AIS.
Information
about their findings will be coming soon!
History of Mining
in Westmoreland County
Providenza Loera and Laura
Michalik, both from Saint Vincent College, supervised by Dean Nelson, researched
the History of Mining throughout Westmoreland County. They produced a report to be used to tell the story of
the Monastery Run Improvement Project.
Students researched the history of mining in Westmoreland County, with a special emphasis
on social and environmental history. The
team examined the role that mining played in shaping the lives of
Westmoreland County residents, as well as the ways that miners and their
families sought to shape the mining enterprise.
How did people once live with the waterways, and how has the pollution
changed the social patterns? Throughout,
our emphasis is on the human impact on the environment and the
environment’s impact on society.
Goodbye
Orange Water, Web-based
Interactive Project
Bo Litwiler from Saint Vincent College and Matthew Myers
from Westminster College, supervised by Randy Rhodes created an interactive
web-based module featuring AMD. The
final product is the animation of the Goodbye Orange Water Booklet with much
more information about the "Bubbler", laws, mine drainage formation
and treatment. The module can be
found on our web site’s main page
Statistical
Analysis of Biological Data
Correne
Clark from Saint Vincent College and Carrie Monroe from Lycoming College,
supervised by Dr. Cynthia Walter analyzed 10 years of biological data from local
streams polluted by mine drainage. The
data forms a picture of water quality before, during and after treatment
wetlands were constructed. The data includes numbers and types of bacteria,
invertebrates and fish. Together the data forms a picture of water quality before, during and
after the treatment wetlands were constructed. They used statistics
to summarize and evaluate the impact of the treatments.
On July 11, the students presented their research and findings to the
Loyalhanna Creek Mine Drainage Coalition Technical Committee.
