Lowber (Marchand Mine) Site

SCWA has published a new brochure on the Lowber project and it's history.

The Marchand abandoned deep mine site , located northeast of Lowber in the lower watershed in Sewickley Township, was a former coal and coke processing facility. With the closing of this operation in the 1940's , a 1500 gpm discharge has been entering Sewickley Creek. This discharge added approximately 600,000 pounds of dissolved iron to the creek each year.

The Sewickley Creek Watershed Association received DEP Growing Greener funds in 2001 and following to study, design, and construct a passive remediation project.

The passive treatment system, built in conjunction with Hedin Environmental and Iron Oxide Recovery, Inc., includes a series of aeration ponds and constructed wetlands. The goal of this system was to reduce iron levels by 90 percent as they leave the treatment facility. A secondary goal was the salvage of the iron oxide as a raw material pigment for utilization in paints, dyes, and stains.

The Passive treatment system has been successfully completed. (Iron oxide levels of the discharge have dropped from 70 ppm to 1ppm after passage through the treatment facility). A ribbon cutting ceremony was conducted in October 2007.

Swans and other waterfowl and animals have taken up residence. Lowber Animal Life

SCWA receives 2008 Governor's Environmental Excellence Award