NEW LEXINGTON, Ohio — The orange-tinted waters of Rush Creek are beginning to clear thanks to a major environmental milestone in Perry County. On Tuesday, officials from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and Governor Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio initiative gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Gosline H2Ohio Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) Reclamation Project.
The $1.9 million endeavor targets a legacy of pre-regulatory coal mining that has plagued the Upper Rush Creek Watershed for decades. By neutralizing acidic, metal-laden runoff, the project aims to restore life to a vital tributary of the Hocking River.
Restoring a “Barren” Landscape
Before the reclamation, the 16-acre site near New Lexington was a moonscape of barren mine spoil and steep “highwalls”—vertical cliff-like walls left behind by old strip-mining operations. These materials created a toxic chemical reaction when they touched rainwater, sending iron and aluminum into local streams.
The transformation included several key engineering feats:
- Soil & Vegetation: Approximately 16 acres of barren land were covered with clean, off-site soil and re-planted to stop erosion.
- Wetland Filtration: Engineers constructed an enhanced wetland system that acts as a natural filter, allowing heavy metals to settle into the ground before the water ever reaches the creek.
- Land Re-grading: Dangerous highwalls and a one-acre strip pit were leveled, and new surface water channels were carved to direct flow safely away from toxic materials.
Scientific Success
“This project encompasses our key mission of the protection and wise use of natural resources,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “Preliminary data shows the project is successfully reducing acidity and concentrations of iron and aluminum.”
Unlike many water treatment projects that require expensive, ongoing chemical additives, the Gosline project is designed to be a long-term, self-sustaining biological solution. By fixing the land itself, the state has created a permanent “natural kidney” for the watershed without the need for high-cost maintenance.
The H2Ohio Mission
This project is part of Governor DeWine’s broader H2Ohio initiative, launched in 2019 to combat algal blooms and water pollution statewide. While much of the initiative’s work has focused on Lake Erie and agricultural runoff, the Gosline project highlights a critical push to clean up the “Rivers Program” in Southern Ohio.
According to ODNR, this is only the first of many planned projects aimed at fully restoring the biological health of Rush Creek.
