Three inactive dumpsites in Lehigh Gorge State Park were cleaned in May, 2003. Over a period of two-weeks, equipment was used to re- move appliances, railroad ties, an old vehicle and miscellaneous debris.

• At the Drakes Creek site, the contractor, Lawson Enterprises, of Drums PA, pulled a car and three appliances from a steep creek bank along Drakes Creek Trail.
• Work on the Rail Trail site, located just south of White Haven along the Rail Trial, began the next day. The Rail Trail project consisted of five large industrial appliances, piles of R.R. ties, construction debris and household trash. A 1,000-gallon tank was also removed.
• The Slot Hole site, a confined body of water along the river, is located north of White Haven, along the Rail Trail. The scope of this last phase of the project covered 1½ miles along the Lehigh River and consisted mostly of scattered household trash.

A total of 42 tons of trash, 175 tires, and 5.5 tons of scrap metal were removed from the sites. Asphalt removed from one of the sites was used to fill potholes in the road. All disturbed earthen areas were stabilized with seed and straw.

Lehigh Gorge State Park Cleanup Team DEP, Northeast Regional Office Lawson Enterprises Lehigh Gorge State Park Employees Luzerne County Conservation District Luzerne County Recycling Coordinator PA CleanWays, Inc.

Consulting on this
project prior to the clean up were the Northeast Regional office of DEP, the Luzerne County Con-servation District, and the Luzerne County Recycling Coordinator.

All debris from the three sites was hauled by Waste Reduction and Recycling of Wilkes-Barre, to Keystone Sanitary Landfill of Dunmore. All scrap metal items and tires were recycled.

DCNR encourages Luzerne County residents with disposal and recycling questions to contact their county Recycling Coordinator at (570) 820-6300.

Lehigh Gorge State Park is located in Luzerne and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania. The park follows the Lehigh River from the outlet of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Francis E. Walter Dam at the northern end, to the town of Jim Thorpe at the southern end of the park. The deep gorge, steep walls and thick vegetation, rock outcroppings and many waterfalls characterize the entire park.

The Lehigh River, one of the most scenic rivers in America, carves through the park in the steep-walled canyon, offering Class II and III rapids to whitewater boaters and rafters. A 25-mile rail-trail following the river also provides hiking and mountain opportunities.

Learn about other illegal dump sites in state forests and parks.

This page last updated July 31, 2003.

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