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    • Pella coal mine reclamation is the largest reclamation effort ever in the state of Iowa
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    Pella coal mine reclamation is the largest reclamation effort ever in the state of Iowa

    Harry Posted on

    Cami Koons
    | Iowa Capital Transfer

    The Iowa Department of Agriculture this month began reclamation of 162 acres of abandoned mine land in the Pella Wilderness Area, the largest of nearly 120 sites in Iowa since the 1980s.

    Many have gained national recognition for their creativity.

    Coal mining was a brief but important part of Iowa history. When miners left the area in the mid-20th century, there were no regulations to enable them to clear the land.

    As a result, areas like the one near Pella have acidic soils that largely do not support native plants, large sloping dirt mounds, and pits often filled with similarly uninhabitable water.

    “You look at it and it’s basically like an ecological disaster right now,” said Todd Gosselink, a wildlife biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

    Gosselink helps manage the Pella Wildlife Area, which the DNR has owned since a strip mining company abandoned the area in the 1950s. Invasive species such as honeysuckle and Japanese raspberry are taking over “extremely disturbed” areas, Gosselink said.

    There are some wetlands with frogs and critters, but others have clear, lifeless water.

    “There are some significant water quality issues,” Gosselink said

    The DNR has been working since 2021 to prepare the area, clearing trees and invasive species and planting new trees in the central area. The northern part of the area is currently closed and the remainder of the wildlife area will close in November as restoration of the abandoned mine area begins.

    ministry of agriculture mining land restoration program abandoned It allocated nearly $4 million to neutralize the soil with 7,000 tonnes of lime, ease clogged waterways, move more than 1 million cubic meters of earthworks and “return the site to pre-mining conditions.” newsletter in question.

    “It will be much more diverse and more useful to both wildlife and humans,” Gosselink said.

    Iowa a leader in mining land reclamation projects

    Pella is the largest abandoned mine land reclamation project undertaken by the agriculture department. That project was announced Oct. 2 along with six others, all in southeast Iowa, where most of the state’s mining occurs.

    Coal mining in Iowa rejected in the 1920s and most mines closed in the 1950s.

    Reclamation of abandoned sites began following federal legislation in 1983. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. The program uses federal money collected from active coal mines to restore unused mining lands, and an estimated $103 million has been invested in Iowa’s program to date.

    Compared to other states, Iowa doesn’t have many abandoned mine sites, said Susan Kozak, director of the agriculture department’s soil conservation and water quality division.

    “But nationally, Iowa is seen as a leader because we’ve won so many awards (and) we’re trying different things,” Kozak said. “We have a really good group of people who are passionate about this.”

    The state earned eight awards from the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Applications. Kozak said each project is completely different depending on the terrain, natural topography and the wishes of the land owner.

    Past projects have transformed hazardous abandoned areas into natural meadows or underutilized pastures full of pollinators; because these areas became very fragile after a reclamation project.

    “When we finished reclamation them, we created a surface layer that had some vegetation, some natural pH and some organic matter,” Kozak said. “But this needs to be managed very carefully or it will become degraded material again.”

    The pH levels of pristine mining sites are so acidic that Kozak said one intern came back with her nail polish removed after taking water samples.

    “We call it acid mine drainage, and it will turn the water flowing through the fields orange due to a chemical reaction,” Kozak said. “So it’s our job to clean this up.”

    The areas are also highly susceptible to erosion due to steep slopes and lack of vegetation.

    There are more than 13,000 acres of abandoned mining land in Iowa. The department has reclaimed 120 sites and there are currently more than 30 sites in the planning or construction stages. There are 140 areas waiting to be rehabilitated.

    The project at Pella Wildlife Area is expected to be completed in spring 2026 and reopen to the public that summer.

    To find this story-most Iowa Capital TransferAs a 501c(3) public charity, it is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus and coalition of donors supported by grants. The Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. For questions, contact Editor Kathie Obradovich: [email protected].

    Harry
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