WVDEP’s Richard Mine Treatment Plant Celebrates Successful Restoration Efforts in Deckers Creek

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's (WVDEP) Office of Abandoned Mine Lands and Reclamation (AML) hosted a showcase event Monday at its Richard Mine Treatment Plant to allow valued partners and community members to reflect on the successes of the facility's restoration efforts along Deckers Creek in Monongalia County.

The treatment plant began operations in April 2024 to remediate acid mine drainage (AMD) from the former Richard Mine, which has severely degraded the lower section of Deckers Creek for decades. AMD can increase acidity in streams, introduce harmful metals, and cover stream habitat with metal deposits, all of which negatively impact aquatic life.

"The treatment plant takes water from the Richard Mine, removes the acidity and metals associated with acid mine drainage, and returns cleaner water back to Deckers Creek," said Travis Parsons, AML Deputy Director. "It's a practical solution to a problem that has affected this watershed for generations."

"What's especially rewarding is seeing the results in the stream itself. Water quality has improved, fish populations are rebounding, and species that were previously absent have returned. Those are tangible signs that the restoration work is making a real difference for the watershed and the community."

Studies conducted by the West Virginia University's West Virginia Water Research Institute (WVWRI) show that the treatment plant has been achieving its mission, reducing dissolved metals and acidity, increasing the stream's flow rate, and restoring fish population and aquatic life in lower sections of Deckers Creek. Several new species of fish like the Rainbow Trout and Johnny Darters have been spotted in the waters.

"The changes we've seen in the lower miles of Deckers Creek since the Richard Mine Treatment Plant came online have been remarkable," said Brian Hurley, Executive Director for the Friends of Deckers Creek. "Friends of Deckers Creek has spent decades working to restore this watershed, and this project shows what's possible when agencies, community groups, researchers, and private partners work together toward a common goal."

Multiple public and private partnerships laid the foundation for the facility. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provided $4.2 million for construction costs and the WVDEP's Office of Special Reclamation developed the design. Northeast Natural Energy has been vital to the treatment plant's success, providing up to $600,000 for annual operation and maintenance costs over three years, and Friends of Deckers Creek has been a key community supporter of this project for decades.

"This project is about partnership, stewardship, and long-term investment in the communities where we live and work," said Mike John, Founder, President and CEO of Northeast Natural Energy. "Northeast Natural Energy is proud to support WVDEP's work to restore Deckers Creek and improve water quality in the Monongahela River watershed."

The Richard facility paves the way for additional benefits to the watershed and community going forward. AMD from the mine impacts many nearby residences and a project to capture the mine water and pump it to the Richard facility is currently in design. A project to improve the habitat for fish and aquatic species in Deckers Creek is also in the works. Additionally, the Richard facility will serve as the central operations hub for automated AMD treatment systems across the state and seven systems are currently in design.

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