Officials discuss health of Panther Creek in Tamaqua

May 15—A constituent contacted state Sen. David G. Argall in January, alarmed by what he saw happening to the Panther Creek in Tamaqua.

The creek had taken on an orange tone.

"I grew up on Arlington Street, a few blocks from the creek, and I knew the progress that had been made to clean it over the years," said Argall, R-29, Rush Twp.

Naturally, Argall, too, was concerned by the pollution in the creek, which flows into the Little Schuylkill River. He wrote a letter to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection asking for answers.

On Thursday, he met with DEP officials and others near the banks of the creek. A previous meeting had been postponed.

"Do we know what caused it?" Argall asked.

Todd Wood, a mining engineer, said he checked the site soon after the report.

An old mining tunnel, he said, lies above that portion of creek.

"We think that tunnel somehow got blocked," Wood said. "There was enough water pressure that built up and it popped out."

A DEP employee for 25 years, Wood said it was the first time in his memory that he had seen acid mine drainage impacting that area.

"I think it was just a rare occurrence," he said, noting that it hasn't happened since the January report.

Argall asked what could be done to ensure the water quality of the stream, which has come such a long way since he was growing up. Both he and state Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-124, Rush Twp., who also grew up in Tamaqua, remembered how the creek's water was always a deep black. Now, the Little Schuylkill River is stocked with trout.

"I see people fishing where I wasn't allowed to put my toes in as a kid," Argall said, remarking on how environmental efforts have led to clean mine-impacted waterways.

Jeff Specht, president of Lehigh Anthracite Coal, said the coal company frequently samples and monitors water as required by DEP.

"We sample based on our perimeters," he said. In the case of Panther Creek, waters are monitored from Nesquehoning to Tamaqua.

Dan Koury, DEP watershed manager, noted that there are times when storm or sewer water makes its way into the creek. Normally it's caused by overflows.

Mike Tirpak, an engineer for the Coaldale-Lansford-Summit Hill Sewer Authority, said the authority is in the process of preparing an Act 537, which is required by the state to correct existing sewage disposal problems and prevent future problems.

The plant is about 50 years old and discharges treated water into the creek.

Argall asked Tirpak to contact him as the plan progresses since he might be able to point him to funding sources.

Despite the discharge earlier this year, officials say the creek has not suffered any long-term damage.

"No, it wouldn't kill fish or anything," Bill Reichert of the Schuylkill Conservation District said.

Contact the writer: jwhalen@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3592