	U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Mid-Continent Region

Patoka South Fork Watershed Steering Committee Projects

For more info on the Augusta Lake project contact Mike Kalagian. For more information on the Patoka Southfork Watershed Steering Committee contact Tom Mosley at psfwsc@sigecom.net

Augusta Lake

Boy Scout Troops 151 and 153
Boy Scouts from Troop 151 and Troop 153 construct fish habitat for Augusta Lake.

Three Girl Scouts standing next to the sand bag dike they built

Girl Scout Troop 411
On October 23, 1999, members of Pike County Girl Scout Troop 411, joined in the Augusta Lake acid mine drainage remediation project. Similar to work done by the boy scouts, troop members constructed one critical sandbag dike, for a wetland area, and spread soda-ash briquettes to neutralize the acid soils and acid laden water that will impound behind the dike.

Group photo of Boy Scout Troop 151 next to Augusta Lake

Boy Scout Troop 151 - One of the many projects underway by Indiana's Patoka South Fork Watershed Steering Committee is reclamation of the 52 acre acid filled Augusta Lake. In an effort to neutralize the lake, along with over two miles of Mill Creek, before it drains into the Patoka River, Boy Scouts from Troop 151, under the leadership of Chuck Froehle, scout leader, did reclamation work on August 28, 1999.

Group photo of Boy Scout Troop 182 next to their sand bag dike

Boy Scout Troop 182, from Jasper Indiana, led by Bart Pitstick, volunteered their services on August 26, 2000, to help with the Augusta Lake Remediation Project. They filled over 200 sandbags to re-enforce one of three dikes created last year.

Airgas Inc: A Valued Corporate Partner - The Augusta Lake AMD remediation project is well underway by Indiana's Patoka South Fork Watershed Steering Committee with the inclusion of corporate partner Airgas, Inc. Direct neutralization of the 52 acre acid lake with liquid calcium hydroxide from Airgas' Mid-America plant in Evansville Indiana began September 1, 1999. Airgas is donating the calcium hydroxide to the Patoka South Fork Watershed Steering Committee.

Photo of large back hoe equipment scooping calcium hydroxide slury from a holding pond

GROUNDWATER NEUTRALIZATION of AMD at AUGUSTA LAKE - The third phase of this project entails direct neutralization of AMD at the source, within the acid bearing spoil banks. To accomplish this, calcium hydroxide is being applied to neutralize acid groundwater flowing into the lake. Within the drainage basin of the lake, strategic locations have been excavated, and calcium hydroxide, donated by Airgas, Inc. is applied.

Lick Creek

Kathy Karpan, former Director of the Office of Surface Mining, congratulating Dwight Cousert, President of the Patoka South Fork Watershed Steering Committee

Lick Creek Dedication - Kathy Karpan, former Director of the Office of Surface Mining, congratulating Dwight Cousert, President of the Patoka South Fork Watershed Steering Committee. The Patoka South Fork group is a volunteer citizen group working together towards a common goal of environmental stewardship and improvement within the 49,000 acre watershed. VIEW MORE

Thompson Run

THOMPSON RUN AMD TREATMENT AND PREVENTION - Joe Craig, the engineer, stands beside a Concentrated Alkaline Recharge Pool - The first load of Calcium Hydroxide is dumped into these innovative structures that will prevent the formation of acid mine drainage.