The Ales Run watershed was surfaced mined for coal in the 1960's using contour mining methods. The unreclaimed mine site left highwalls, open mine pits, and barren and eroding spoil banks. The majority of the watershed, 2900 acres, was purchased through a partnership between the Ohio Division of Wildlife, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Ruffed Grouse Society, and the Conservation Fund and is now owned and managed by Ohio Division of Wildlife. The subwatershed of Duck Creek is listed as priority 2 clogged stream land in the Office of Surface Mining's Abandoned Mined Land Inventory System. The Ohio Division of Mineral Resources Management has planted most of the barren areas with trees inoculated with an acid-tolerant fungus and has had a great deal of success. However, some unstable erosion gullies still exist (Photo: Erosion gully before constructing a sediment control structure) and elimination of the gullies would require a large amount of tree removal if reclaimed using conventional methods with heavy equipment.

Max Luehrs, Office of Surface Mining Abandoned Mine Land Program Specialist in the Columbus, Ohio office worked with Kaabe Shaw, the Duck Creek Watershed Coordinator, to develop the idea of constructing log and pole sediment control structures using on-site locust trees to control sediment and runoff. Diagrams of various structures were provided to Kaabe, and he coordinated with the Ohio Division of Mineral Resources Management to locate some potential sites for a demonstration project. Ales Run was selected because of its public ownership, high priority problems in the inventory system, and because placement of the structures would compliment the states innovative tree planting program.

On the morning of April 22, 2003 a group of volunteers met on site in unseasonably cool and damp weather. Allen Kraps, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation Specialist from the Pittsburgh Office served as the chain saw operator, and everyone else took turns digging, hauling setting posts, and scavenging rocks from the spoil for use as energy dissipaters (Photo: Constructing the sediment control structure). The display of teamwork, between many folks who had only met that day, was remarkable. The group learned that the trees available on site were not nearly as straight as those on the diagrams, nor was the ground rock-free as shown on paper. The group improvised to fit the situation and were able to complete three structures.. And, at the end of the day they left with a sense of comradery and accomplishment at leaving Ales Run a slightly better place (Photo: Completed structure).

Over the next several months Kaabe Shaw will monitor the structures after rain storms to see how they perform and/or might be improved upon. And, if successful many more may be built in the years to come.