Lone Mountain NRDAR Tipple Site Riparian Restoration and Outdoor Classroom Restoration

Background information.— The Powell and Clinch Rivers provide vital habitat for many forms of wildlife and are inhabited by one of the world’s richest and most diverse assemblages of freshwater mussels (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2003). The rivers are also multiple-use recreation areas and a valuable water source that supplies water for the residents of Lee County, Virginia. The Lone Mountain coal slurry spill released sediment and hazardous substances affecting water quality and impacting 12 Federally listed mussels and critical habitat for 2 Federally listed fish.

Fish and mussel habitat depends on the riparian habitats surrounding the river. In order to recover lost fish and mussel habitat, the Lone Mountain Natural Resource Damage Assessment restoration plan calls for protection and enhancement of riparian habitat by stabilizing stream banks and planting riparian buffers. By restoring the natural riparian structure and function, these restoration activities can enhance natural mussel and fish recovery and improve water quality. The restoration plan also calls for educational outreach to enhance community knowledge of natural resources and to promote their protection and conservation.

One example of a restoration project that achieved these objectives took place in the Stone Creek community of Lee County, where many partners came together to reclaim and restore a stretch of stream habitat and transform the site of a former coal tipple yard into an outdoor classroom and park. The project at the Tipple site was implemented by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in coordination with the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable and many community and funding partners.

To remediate the Tipple site, the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy removed coal facilities and loading structures and capped the site with a 2-foot layer of soil. To restore the stream, fill material was added to the streambank and rootwads were installed to provide fish habitat. Trash, debris, and invasive species were removed from the site, and streambanks were stabilized using matting and native vegetation. A 25-foot-wide riparian corridor was established with native vegetation along the length of the property, and a wetland was constructed where the site naturally drains. An AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps team helped remove invasive plants and install riparian plantings; local organizations, businesses, and community members worked together to plant trees and construct an outdoor classroom and a trail in the park. The outdoor classroom features eight learning stations to help students learn about wetlands and the history of coal mining in the area.

Background information on the Tipple site restoration for the Lone Mountain NRDAR settlement was obtained from Carol Doss, Upper Tennessee River Roundtable, written commun., 2015; and from Lone Mountain NRDAR case documents at http://www.cerc.usgs.gov/orda_docs/CaseDetails?ID=914.

Economic impacts.—The Tipple site remediation and restoration project began in 2011 and was completed in 2014 with a total project cost of $214,000 (2014 dollars). Of these expenditures, $45,000 went towards purchasing the site; this amount is not included in the economic impact analysis. Of the remaining expenditures of $169,000, more than 65 percent was spent within the local area surrounding Lee County, and five local companies were contracted to work on the project. Including direct and secondary effects, the project supported an estimated 1.7 job-years; $62,000 in labor income; $88,000 in value added; and $169,000 in economic output in the local economy surrounding Lee County. Expanding to include both local and nonlocal expenditures, the project supported an estimated total of 3.0 job-years; $164,000 in labor income; $244,000 in value added; and $421,000 in economic output in the national economy.

References Cited
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2003, Final restoration plan and environmental assessment for the Lone Mountain Processing Inc. Coal Slurry Spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 48 p., accessed May1, 2015, at http://www.cerc.usgs.gov/orda_docs/DocHandler.ashx?ID=517.

A Lee Count Career and Technical Center Natural Resources Class Planted Trees.jpg “A Lee Count Career and Technical Center Natural Resources Class Planted Trees”	418.17 KB	image/jpeg
Community Members Make Stepping Stones at Day Camp.jpg “Community Members Make Stepping Stones at Day Camp”	123.76 KB	image/jpeg
Tripple Site - After Restoration.jpg “Tripple Site - After Restoration”	287.46 KB	image/jpeg
Tripple Site - Before Restoration.jpg “Tripple Site - Before Restoration”	196.89 KB	image/jpeg

Lone Mountain NRDAR Tipple Site Riparian Restoration and Outdoor Classroom Restoration

Dates

Summary

Summary

Contacts

Attached Files

sorting

Metadata First

Recent First

Alphabetical

Project Extension

Preview Image

Map

Spatial Services

Communities

Associated Items

Tags

Provenance

Item Actions

View Item as ...

Save Item as ...

View Item...

Dates

Summary

Summary

Contacts

Attached Files sorting Metadata First Recent First Alphabetical

Project Extension

Preview Image

Map

Spatial Services

Communities

Associated Items

Tags

Provenance

Item Actions

View Item as ...

Save Item as ...

View Item...

Attached Files

sorting

Metadata First

Recent First

Alphabetical