In 2019, Pennsylvania completed AMD abatement at Fran Camp Run No. 2 Mine, restoring 1.4 miles of Cooks Run. 7 years later, pH and metal impairments were finally cleared

An abandoned coal mine in Pennsylvania had affected Cooks Run and its tributaries for decades, but a 2019 cleanup project brought measurable improvements to water quality.

Fran Camp Run No. 2 Mine, an abandoned surface coal mine in Sproul State Forest near Renovo, was one of the primary sources of pollution affecting the Cooks Run watershed. Acid mine drainage, or AMD, causes low pH and high levels of metals, affecting water quality, fish, and other aquatic life.

In 2019, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation completed an AMD abatement project at the mine site.


The work involved excavating approximately 1,341,416 cubic yards of the reclaimed surface mine to the mine pit floor. The acid-bearing materials were mixed with approximately 157,307 tons of alkaline material before being placed back into the excavated area, which was then regraded and revegetated.

Post-reclamation monitoring showed increased pH and reduced metal levels on approximately 1.4 miles to Rock Run and 1.2 miles to Camp Run.

In the 2026 draft Pennsylvania Integrated Report, Cooks Run and its tributaries were fully or partially delisted for pH and metals-related impairments.

Decades of mining left lasting pollution

The area around Cooks Run was partially mined in the 1930s, with additional coal recovery completed in the 1970s.

Surface mining by Fran Contracting, Inc., which ceased operations in 1976, left behind acid-bearing materials, including spoil and coal refuse.

AMD seeping from the Fran Camp Run No. 2 and No. 3 abandoned surface-mining operations affected Rock Run, Camp Run and Cooks Run. Historical water quality data from the Fran Camp No. 2 discharge in 1980 and 2009 showed very low pH and high levels of metals.

The cleanup also restored the mine site

The 2019 reclamation project also included work to restore the land.

Fifteen acres were planted with 10,000 hardwood trees and grasses. Twenty brush piles were used to create wildlife habitat, while a rock pile was constructed to create habitat for the Timber Rattlesnake, a Pennsylvania species of concern.

The reclaimed land was also intended for public activities, including hunting, fishing, hiking, ATV riding and sightseeing.

Improvements reflected in the 2026 report

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation conducted water quality sampling before and after reclamation, assessing pH, dissolved iron, manganese, aluminum and other water chemistry parameters.

Based on the post-reclamation improvements, Cooks Run, Rock Run and Camp Run were assessed as attaining pH and metals standards and were proposed for removal from the Section 303(d) list of impaired waters in the 2026 Pennsylvania Integrated Report.