May 8, 2026 - As part of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio initiative, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) held a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday to celebrate the completion of the Gosline H2Ohio Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) Reclamation Project. H2Ohio Rivers Program partnered with ODNR’s Division of Mineral Resources Management (MRM) Abandoned Mine Land program to address a significant acid mine drainage source in Rush Creek, a tributary of the Hocking River.

“The Gosline H2Ohio Acid Mine Drainage Reclamation Project encompasses our key mission of the protection and wise use of natural resources,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “Through key partnerships, this project reduced acid mine drainage in the area and will provide improved water quality for Rush Creek and the surrounding area.”

The Gosline H2Ohio AMD project significantly reduces the amount of water that comes into contact with acid producing materials and improves water quality downstream. Located near New Lexington in the Upper Rush Creek Watershed, the $1.9 million project included:

• Reclaiming approximately 16 acres of barren mine spoil with clean off site soil, establishing vegetation, and constructing rock channels and drains to stop erosion and acid mine drainage.
• Directing water from the reclaimed site into an enhanced wetland system where the metals settle into the ground before the water moves to the creek.
• Re-grading the land to remove a highwall (a vertical, cliff like wall) as well as a one-acre strip pit (holes from mining) and creating new surface water drainage channels.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, a tour was held to explain parts of the project and how water now flows through the area.

Extensive mine spoil and coal refuse from decades old pre-reclamation law coal mining creates acidic, metal laden water that drains into streams causing significant water quality pollution. An AMD Abatement and Treatment Plan completed in 2009 identified the unnamed tributary at this site as a major contributor to water quality impairment in Rush Creek.

Preliminary data from an ODNR water sampling site shows the project is successfully reducing acidity and concentrations of iron and aluminum, helping restore downstream water quality in Rush Creek.

These types of standard reclamation projects are essential to ODNR’s AMD program because they create meaningful, long term water quality and biological benefits without requiring ongoing operation and maintenance funding. This is the first of many planned projects to address acid mine drainage and improve water quality in Rush Creek

H2Ohio is Governor DeWine’s statewide water quality initiative designed to address complex issues impacting Ohio’s waters. Launched in 2019, H2Ohio uses a comprehensive approach guided by science and data to reduce algal blooms, stop pollution, and improve access to clean drinking water by supporting best farming practices, road salt runoff reduction, litter cleanup, dam removal, land conservation, and water infrastructure revitalization. For more information visit h2.ohio.gov.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.