Sphagnum-Dominated Wetland Treatment of Mine Drainage Water

Freshwater wetland ecosystems are scattered throughout the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia and Pennsylvania, a region that also supports considerable coal mining activity. One of the most severe environmental problems associated with coal mining is the production of acid min drainage (AMD) and its adverse impact on stream water quality. Spagnum-dominated wetlands may be very effective in removing acidity, sulfate, and iron from AMD.