The primary goal of the historic abandoned mine drainage (AMD) remediation efforts, centered in the Oven Run watershed, a sub-watershed of the Stonycreek River in Somerset County, initiated in the early 1990’s was never intended to restore the aquatic life of Oven Run itself.
Those efforts, pioneered by the Somerset and Cambria County Conservation Districts, led to the formation of the Stonycreek-Conemaugh River Improvement Project (SCRIP) which then empowered federal and state agencies along with local non- profits and volunteer groups to begin the daunting task of constructing AMD treatment systems. The Stonycreek River was the target to be improved. Oven Run was to be the sacrificial lamb.
Fast forward to over 25 years later and with the reconstruction of four of the Oven Run systems by the Somerset Conservation District as well as a fifth system completely rehabilitated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation (PADEP BAMR), more alkalinity is being generated, more metals are being removed and more water is now treated. Also contributing are 19 other AMD treatment systems that have been constructed in the Stonyceek River watershed as a result of the momentum generated by the Oven Run Projects.
The sampling data collected by InnoH2O, under contract by the Somerset Conservation District, has clearly demonstrated that water quality in the Stonycreek River is being improved beyond the initial enhancements initially generated by the original Oven Run treatment systems.
This documented data knowledge led the Somerset Conservation District to attempt to determine what impact all this just might be having on Oven Run, which has been devoid of aquatic life for 125 years. The District organized an electo- fishing expedition, in cooperation with Garrett College of Maryland on Oven Run in August 2024.
This first ever fish survey of Oven Run made a monumental discovery. In the 100 meter section that was sampled 5 species of fish were found. A total of 58 individual fish were documented that included white suckers, creek chubs, northern hog suckers, long nose dace and black nose dace. A young of the year creek chub was identified, indicating that that natural reproduction is occurring in Oven Run. In addition, caddis larva and crayfish were also found.
A newspaper article dated July 9, 1993 in the Johnstown Tribune –Democrat headlined that the Oven Run project, “Aims to resurrect the Stonycreek River”. Today it can be readily seen that this multi-million dollar effort, combined with thousands of hours of professional and volunteer contributions, has done just that. The result has been the creation of opportunities for outdoor recreation that has created an eco-tourism boom and generated an economic engine that had previously not existed in the Cambria-Somerset region. This natural resource conservation effort is the foundation that all the other more recent recreational oriented initiatives in the region have been built on.
Recent articles in the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat have been titled “ Outdoor Enthusiasts give Tour of Region’s Amenities” and “National Coalition visits Johnstown to see examples of rural reinvention.” These and many other realizations now demonstrate that the foresighted vision generated over 30 years ago by a small group of local conservation minded citizens, as described back in 1993, have more than achieved their intended goal.
It should be noted, however, that never ending operation and maintenance of the existing treatment systems is still a never ending responsibility that understaffing and underfunding continue to be hurdles that make sustaining all these achievements an ongoing behind the scenes struggle and challenge.
Another reality is the resurgence of Oven Run may be just a footnote in a much larger saga. However, for those who still vividly remember the horrifically polluted conditions of both the Stonycreek, much less tributaries such as Oven Run and believed it could change when many naysayers thought otherwise, it is an important and satisfying milestone nonetheless.
Lenny Lichvar