Partnership - Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture Aaron Run, in western Maryland, was once a home to Brook Trout and many other aquatic animals, but aquatic life has been seriously reduced ever since historic coal mining activities polluted the stream. A portion of the watershed sits over abandoned deep coal mines and there are several hundred acres of reclaimed surface mines in the watershed. Additionally, coal waste piles were dumped along the stream banks. Like many waters in the northeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States, acid mine drainage has severely impaired water quality of the creek causing very low pH levels, which in turn precipitated iron into the streambed, causing the creek bed to turn reddish-yellow in color. In addition, [...]
