Iowa has 300+ Abandoned Mine Land (AML) sites, 13,000+ acres of abandoned coal mines that affect the landscape primarily in SE Iowa. AML sites typically include dangerous piles and embankments, highwalls, subsidence, pit ponds, polluted water used for agriculture and human consumption, and bare acidic soils that pollute water through erosion, sedimentation and AMD.
DeRonde Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation
Muchakinock Creek Mine Land Reclamation
2021 National Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Award from the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
Mahaska County DeRonde site
Iowa AML program Awards by the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE)
1998 – Regional Award for the Poffenbarger AML reclamation project
2006 – Mid-Continent Regional Award for the Trinkle AML reclamation project
2009 – Small Project Award for the Waal West AML reclamation project
2011 – Mid-Continent Regional Award for the Westercamp AML reclamation project
2014 – Mid-Continent Regional Award for the Goff AML reclamation project
2018 – National Award for the Logan AML reclamation project
2021 - National Award for the De Ronde AML reclamation project