Eleven students from Westminster College’s Environmental Analysis course teamed up with the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition (SRWC) during the spring 2025 semester to assess the effectiveness of a passive treatment system for abandoned mine drainage (AMD) at the Erico Bridge site.

Abandoned mine drainage, a long-standing environmental issue in western Pennsylvania, often contains acidic water and elevated levels of metals that can harm aquatic life and water quality. To address this, the SRWC uses passive treatment systems—natural solutions like limestone beds and constructed wetlands—that help neutralize acidity and remove harmful metals.

As part of the collaboration, students visited the Erico Bridge site, where SRWC representatives provided an overview of the treatment system, and assisted with field sampling and analysis. Back in the lab, students conducted further testing to evaluate the system’s performance.

Preliminary results showed the passive system effectively reduced acidity and iron concentrations. However, the data also pointed to the need for system maintenance to enhance treatment of other pollutants.

The class presented their findings at Westminster’s Undergraduate Research and Arts Celebration in April. In May, rising seniors Jamie Robertson and Rachel Brady shared the results on behalf of the class at SRWC’s monthly meeting. Robertson is an environmental science major from Lake Balboa, Calif., while Brady is a biology major from Columbus, Pa.

“The AMD project was a great opportunity to apply what we learned in class and lab to a real-world problem,” said one student. “Visiting the treatment site and working together in the field really strengthened our connection as a class.”

For more information about this project, contact Dr. Helen Boylan, professor of environmental science, at 724-946-6293 or boylanhm@westminster.edu.

More Stories