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Wetlands: Restoration and Creation. Andrew McMillan Cylphine Bresdin. Two Approaches. Treatment Municipal Industrial Agricultural Storm Water. Mitigation Policy Restore Create Aesthetics. Wetland Functions. Multiple major Functions Catchment Slows and detours storm runoff.
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Wetlands:Restoration and Creation Andrew McMillanCylphine Bresdin
Two Approaches • Treatment • Municipal • Industrial • Agricultural • Storm Water • Mitigation • Policy • Restore • Create • Aesthetics
Wetland Functions • Multiple major Functions • Catchment • Slows and detours storm runoff City park
Wetland Functions • Multiple major Functions • Catchment • Slows and detours storm runoff • Habitat • Flora • Fauna • microorganisms Canal
Wetland Functions • Multiple major Functions • Catchment • Slows and detours storm runoff • Habitat • Flora • Fauna • microorganisms • Filtration • Pollutants and toxins Treatment Lagoon
Wetland Functions • Multiple major Functions • Catchment • Slows and detours storm runoff • Habitat • Flora • Fauna • microorganisms • Filtration • Pollutants and toxins • Climatic effects • Evens out the ambient temperature Golf course
Definitions considered all wetland types mitigation-to make less harsh restoration-return to prior existing condition Creation-conversion (by human action) of suitable land Constructed-a type of creation for the purpose of water treatment enhancement-alters functional microhabitat relationships Definitions from text page 379
Principles • Self sufficient over time • Habitat for aquatic and wildlife • Habitat for (re)vegetation • Surrounding environment • Transition edge effects • Micro organisms • Geomorphology • Hydrology • Purpose • Type
Clean Water Act (CWA) Compensating for Wetland Losses Under the CWAhttp://www.nap.edu.catalog/10134.html Legal success No-net-loss Ecological success Location hydrology Self regulating succession Wetland bank compensatory Policy Image from text page 380
Restoration Restore what has been lost due to human action Wetland Reserve Program 1990 Farm Bill Bottomland forest agriculture runoff Pre-filter Soil stabilization Habitat Image from text page 389
Creation Legal responsibilities Hidden benefits Catchment Aesthetics Ecological Canyon Park Detention Pond • Create new to replace lost
Aesthetics Created pond as landscape element Rain water harvesting and cycling Respite Education CALA Building Underwood Garden
Constructed Created pond as backyard waste water treatment Local agency over-site Image from Oklahoma pamphlet on residential wetlands
Two Approaches • Treatment • Municipal • Industrial • Agricultural • Storm Water • Mitigation • Policy • Restore • Create • Aesthetics
Wetland Functions • Major Function: water filtration • Water will slow trapping suspended solids by vegetation and settling out • Pollutants are transformed to less soluble forms • Taken up by plants or will become inactive • Microorganisms thrive in wetland environment • Microorganisms assist in transforming and removing pollutants from aquatic systems
Industrial Wastewater • Small percentage can discharge wastewaters for wetland systems for treatment • Requires pretreatment • Most contain toxic constituents at toxic conc. detrimental to wildlife & wetland treatment systems
Storm Waters Agricultural Wastewater • Receives minimal treatment • Usually through lagoons • Treatment wetland systems are important for concentrated & pretreated agricultural wastewaters • Urban & suburban runoff are sometimes channelized to storm sewers to municipal treatment facilities • Most runoff is diverted to detention ponds for treatment
Nitrogen Removal • Phosphorous Removal
Nitrogen Removal • Phosphorous Removal • BOD Removal
Nitrogen Removal • Phosphorous Removal • BOD Removal • Metals Removal
When to construct wetlands for treatment? • Affordable • Total costs: operation, maintenance, and depreciation are financially feasible • Operable • Can operation be sustained with local labor and support • Reliable • Will system be efficient at maintain effluent quality requirements consistently
When to construct wetlands for treatment? • Affordable • Total costs: operation, maintenance, and depreciation are financially feasible • Operable • Can operation be sustained with local labor and support • Reliable • Will system be efficient at maintain effluent quality requirements consistently
Carolina Bays: Horry County, SC • Treatment plant will discharge 2.5 mgd of wastewater • Discharge 1in/week • Slowly released after primary and secondary treatment for tertiary treatment • 4-Bays; Alternate flow based upon flow rate and condition of bays
Carolina Bays: Horry County, SC • Treatment plant will discharge 2.5 mgd of wastewater • Discharge 1in/week • Slowly released after primary and secondary treatment for tertiary treatment • 4-Bays; Alternate flow based upon flow rate and condition of bays
Fort Deposit, AL • Rely majority on microorganisms to breakdown organic matter and nutrients • Cells constructed to simulate natural wetlands • System is designed for the retention time of wastewater to be ~30 days • Average decomposition rate varies upon season therefore retention time can be adjusted by effluent adjustment
Fort Deposit, AL • Rely majority on microorganisms to breakdown organic matter and nutrients • Cells constructed to simulate natural wetlands • System is designed for the retention time of wastewater to be ~30 days • Average decomposition rate varies upon season therefore retention time can be adjusted by effluent adjustment
Fort Deposit, AL • Rely majority on microorganisms to breakdown organic matter and nutrients • Cells constructed to simulate natural wetlands • System is designed for the retention time of wastewater to be ~30 days • Average decomposition rate varies upon season therefore retention time can be adjusted by effluent adjustment
Conclusion • Wastewater treatment wetlands are not the solution to all water quality issues • Although thousands of constructed wetlands prove this process of treatment is an appropriate approach for a number of contaminants based upon the given situation • Several factors should be considered prior to designing and building
Credits • Constructed Wetlands and Aquatic Plant Systems for Municipal Wastewater Treatment, EPA • Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment and Wildlife Habitat, EPA • Treatment Wetlands, Kadlec & Knight • Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment, Donald A Hammer • Restoration, Creation, and Recovery of Wetlands, Mary E. Kentula, EPA • Constructed Wetlands: Using Human Ingenuity, Natural Processes to Treat Water, Build Habitat, Joe Gelt • Wetlands, Mitsch and Gosselink • CWA report available from http://www.nap.edu.catalog/10134.html Wetlands: Restoration and Creation