On April 29, 2000, members of the Office of Surface Mining's Knoxville Field Office joined members of a watershed partnership, local citizens, coal industry representatives, school children and their parents, representatives of county and state natural resource agencies, and staff members from other Federal agencies to support "Coal Creek Watershed Day." Also participating in the day's activities were Margy White, Office of Surface Mining's Chief of Staff, and Marykatherine Gonzalez, Program Analyst in the Division of Reclamation Support, both from the headquarters office in Washington, D. C. This was a day to inform the public of the water quality problems of Coal Creek and to obtain their assistance and cooperation in cleaning up the creek. The field office employees had wanted to volunteer for Earth Day, April 22, but then learned of the Watershed Day activities scheduled for April 29. They decided to observe Earth Day on April 29 to support the two natural resource initiatives.

The Office of Surface Mining staff and other supporters started the day wading the creek and walking its banks to pick up trash and litter. After drying off, the team set up an Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative display and provided handouts for the many children and local residents that passed by the outdoor pavilion. State and Federal natural resource agencies, Boy Scout troops, the American Society of Civil Engineers, Trout Unlimited, and the Coal Creek Clean Stream Initiative members had displays as well. Children were able to practice fly-rod casting and fly tying, participate in aquatic insect demonstrations and identification contests, and observe fish shocking and collection demonstrations.

Initially, the Coal Creek watershed group formed to restore the creek so it would support a trout population that it once did and to prevent pollutants in the creek from entering the Clinch River, one of Tennessee's most popular trout fisheries. However, as the organizer, Barry Thacker, soon found out, residents not only want clean water but they also want better living conditions for their children. Mr. Thacker and the many volunteers and supporters changed their mission and goal to "improving the quality of life in the Coal Creek Watershed".

The Coal Creek watershed is twenty-five miles north of Knoxville, Tennessee and has the towns of Briceville and Lake City in its boundaries. Coal has been mined for 150 years upstream from Lake City and some of the old mines are now adversely impacting the streams by discharging water with high concentrations of iron and other minerals. One of the first projects planned by Mr. Thacker and his group of engineers is to design a passive treatment system to treat one of the older iron laden discharges.

Members of the Office of Surface Mining group worried about safety of the participants wading the creek but there was only one mishap for the activity. Margy White scratched her legs on old barbed wire which required a trip to the clinic for a tetanus shot. Margy said later, "Even with the scratches and the shot, it was a wonderful day. We helped clean up the creek, we had fun doing it , and we met some terrific partners working together to mitigate the effects of abandoned mined lands and to improve the overall value of a tremendous natural resource."

The partners and volunteers realize that this is a long term effort that will take many hours of work and many years of cooperation. But just as the volunteers wading the creek to pick up trash realize, you have to start with one project at a time and then proceed to the next.

If you would like additional information on the Coal Creek Clean Stream Initiative, visit the web site at www.coalcreekaml.com .