Defense Date

3-12-2024

Graduation Date

Spring 5-10-2024

Availability

One-year Embargo

Submission Type

thesis

Degree Name

MS

Department

Environmental Science and Management (ESM)

School

School of Science and Engineering

Committee Chair

John F. Stolz

Committee Member

Brady A. Porter

Committee Member

Daniel Bain

Committee Member

Richard Spear

Keywords

Mingo Creek, water quality, water chemistry, macroinvertebrates, watershed, fossil fuels, oil, gas, coal, mining

Abstract

Historical and current extraction operations and infrastructure, including natural gas pipelines, conventional and unconventional oil and natural gas drilling, longwall coal mining, and strip coal mining, occur throughout the Mingo Creek watershed of Washington County, Pennsylvania, including Mingo Creek County Park. Mingo Creek and several associated tributaries flow through Mingo Creek County Park, eventually discharging into the Monongahela River. An independent water quality study was conducted from June 2020 through July 2023 in Mingo Creek County Park to determine if historical and current extraction activities impact Mingo Creek and its associated tributaries. Weekly sampling of Mingo Creek and associated tributaries occurred each summer, yielding water chemistry parameters including dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and pH. Ion concentration sampling and benthic macroinvertebrate surveys occurred annually for acquisition of ion concentration and biotic integrity data. Circumneutral mine drainage and non-extractive activities were found to impact Mingo Creek in Mingo Creek County Park.

Language

English

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