Department of Ag begins more mine land reclamation

DES MOINES — The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is beginning construction on seven abandoned mine land reclamation projects in southeast Iowa.

All seven projects, which represent nearly $10 million in combined investment by the Department, are expected to begin construction this month and are to be complete by the end of 2025.

“When we successfully reclaim these abandoned coal mine sites, we are not only improving water quality and bolstering soil health, but we are also turning these parcels back into land that can be productive again,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig in a press release.

“This is yet another way we are demonstrating the continued acceleration of our statewide water quality and soil conservation work,” said Naig. “Over the past four decades, we’ve successfully rehabilitated approximately 120 sites, and we want to continue to work with interested landowners and other partners to do even more work in the years and decades ahead.”

Coal mining began in Iowa as early as the 1840s, with coal production peaking around 1917.

The federal government enacted the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. It required companies to remove hazards and stabilize coal mines after they finished mining.

This legislation paved the way for the Department’s AML program, which began in 1983. Iowa has more than 13,000 acres of AML sites, primarily in Davis, Mahaska, Marion, Monroe, Van Buren and Wapello counties.

AML sites may include dangerous piles, embankments, high walls, pit ponds and bare acidic soils that need to be graded and neutralized for reclamation.

Funding for reclamation is made available through a partnership with the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement of the United States Department of the Interior.

These seven projects are in addition to five others currently in construction. An additional 19 sites are in the design and planning phase.

Nearly120 projects have been completed during the past four decades — a total investment of nearly $103 million Another 140 sites are awaiting reclamation.

Projects

Pella North and Pella South (Dutch Hollow), Marion County, $3.985 million for 162 acres, by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Pathfinders RC & D, and Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District, Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement and Shive-Hattery Engineering.

This is the largest project the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has taken on in a single contract in the program’s 41-year history.

Known locally as Dutch Hollow, the land has been owned by the State of Iowa since 1952 and 1953. It is managed by the DNR.

From the 1930s into the 1950s, it was mined for coal. Topsoil was stripped and buried with shale and other acid forming materials, leaving behind dangerous pit ponds, high walls and spoil piles.

Today, it is overgrown with invasive plants, severely limiting public use. The reclamation aims to return the site back to pre-mining conditions by moving 1.3 million cubic yards of earthwork, mitigating clogged stream lands, removing dangerous piles and embankments and cleaning-up bodies of water.

Nearly 7,000 tons of lime, about 43 tons per acre, will be added to neutralize the soil. This will allow vegetation to grow on the site and allow some oak tree plantings and native prairie restoration at the wildlife management area.

Wetlands will be restored, which will attract waterfowl and improve wildlife diversity. The restoration of prairie habitat, along with the addition of 22,500 feet of terrace, will attract grassland birds, quail and pheasants.

Ultimately, the public will benefit from added opportunities for wildlife viewing, hiking and hunting.

Kuiper, Marion County, $1.89 million for 81.2 acres, by Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District, Pathfinders RC & D, Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement and L T Leon Associates.

The reclamation will involve the movement of 682,000 cubic yards of earthwork, mitigating dangerous piles and embankments, removing high walls, cleaning up bodies of water and eliminating industrial and residential waste.

Bos, Wapello County, $815,000 for 34.6 acres, by Wapello County Soil, Water Conservation District, Pathfinders RC & D, and Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement.

This reclamation will involve the movement of 322,900 cubic yards of earthwork, will mitigate clogged stream lands, eliminate dangerous piles and embankments, remove hazardous high walls, and clean up bodies of water.

Eden and Pedrick, Van Buren County, $725,000 for 28 acres by Van Buren County Soil and Water Conservation District, Pathfinders RC & D, Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement and French Reneker and Associates.

These reclamation projects will involve the movement of 139,000 cubic yards of earthwork, mitigating dangerous piles and embankments, hazardous high walls and clogged stream lands.

Vanderzyl, Marion County, $1.6 million for 57 acres by Pathfinders RC & D, Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District, Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement and Trihydro Corporation.

The reclamation will involve the excavation of 544,917 cubic yards of earthwork, mitigating high walls and unclogging stream land.

Vanderzyl East, Marion County, $950,000 for 29.5 acres by Pathfinders RC & D, Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District, and Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement.

The reclamation will involve the excavation of 320,600 cubic yards of earthwork and mitigating clogged stream land.