scholarly journals Water Quality Improvement and Pollutant Removal by Two Regional Detention Facilities with Constructed Wetlands in South Texas

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Guerrero ◽  
Ahmed Mahmoud ◽  
Taufiqul Alam ◽  
Muhammed A. Chowdhury ◽  
Adeniyi Adetayo ◽  
...  

Stormwater runoff introduces several pollutants to the receiving water bodies that may cause degradation of the water quality. Stormwater management systems such as detention facilities and wetland can improve the water quality by removing various pollutants associated with the runoff. The objective of this research project is to determine the performance and efficiency of two major regional detention facilities (RDFs) with different designs and structures in reducing pollutants based on various storm events in McAllen, Texas. The two sites are the McAuliffe RDF and the Morris RDF; each site was incorporated with a constructed wetland with a different design and structure to enhance the pollutant removal process. The McAuliffe RDF reduced the concentration and load of many stormwater constituents in comparison to the Morris RDF. The observed concentrations and pollutant loads of suspended solids were much lower in the runoff of the inlet compared to the outlet for both sites. The McAuliffe RDF showed better concentration and load reduction for nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, of different species. However, both sites did not show a significant improvement of organic material. In addition, the indicator bacteria concentration represented a fluctuation between the inlet and outlet at each site.

2010 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 391-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Finney ◽  
Bahram Gharabaghi ◽  
Ed McBean ◽  
Ramesh Rudra ◽  
Glenn MacMillan

Abstract Stormwater runoff containing pollutants deposited on highways from vehicular traffic and urban activities has been identified as a serious threat to aquatic habitats. Although many urban stormwater management technologies serve to reduce the concentrations of pollutants from being transported to larger bodies of water, these stormwater management installations do not always meet the provincial water quality guidelines. In summer 2007, a compost biofilter was installed in a ditch near Highway 8 in Kitchener, Ontario and monitored for 18 storm events spanned over two years for both flow rate and water quality. The main objectives of the study were to determine highway runoff quality and biofilter pollutant removal efficiency. This study shows that the key factors that affect the build-up of the pollutants on a highway are the average annual daily traffic (AADT) and the antecedent dry days (ADD), and the main factors that affect the wash-off of pollutants, include total rainfall depth and rainfall intensity. Before filtration, highway runoff contaminant levels often exceeded the Ontario Provincial Water Quality Objectives (PWQO). However, the biofilter reduced the total suspended solids, zinc, copper and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by 42, 32, 29, and 66%.


1998 ◽  
Vol 38 (10) ◽  
pp. 115-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. R. Pettersson

The aim of this study was to investigate a small open detention pond predominantly receiving stormwater drainage from a highway. The results showed a difference in pollutant removal characteristics. Particle-associated pollutants were effectively removed during storm events as indicated by EMC (Event Mean Concentrations) while dissolved pollutants were not effectively removed. Outflow pollutant loads followed linear profiles when seven consecutive storm events were represented as cumulative graphs. PEMC's (Partial EMC's) during a storm event showed an association between the specific surface area of small particles and lead content. A detention pond should be designed according to capacity to detain the complete storm volume, thus avoiding short-circuiting of the pond by pollutants.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 5026 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jialu Li ◽  
Qiting Zuo

Suspended solids are an important part of lake ecosystems, and their nitrogen and phosphorus contents have a significant effect on water quality. However, information on nitrogen and phosphorus forms in suspended solids remains limited. Therefore, a case study was conducted in Lihu Lake (China), a lake with characteristically high amounts of suspended solids. Nitrogen and phosphorus speciation in suspended solids was analyzed through a sequential extraction method. We also evaluated the sources of various forms of nitrogen and phosphorus and their different effects on eutrophication. The total nitrogen (TN) content was 758.9–3098.1 mg/kg. Moreover, the proportions of various N forms in the suspended solids of the study areas were ranked as follows: Hydrolyzable nitrogen (HN) > residual nitrogen (RN) > exchangeable nitrogen (EN). Total phosphorus (TP) ranged from 294.8 to 1066.4 mg/kg, and 58.6% of this TP was inorganic phosphorus (IP). In turn, calcium (Ca)-bound inorganic phosphorus (Ca-Pi) was the main component of IP. The correlation between various nitrogen and phosphorus forms showed that there were different sources of suspended nitrogen and phosphorus throughout Lihu Lake. Correlation analysis of water quality indices and comparative analysis with surface sediments showed that in Lihu Lake, the dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus contents in water were influenced by sediment through diffusion, while particle phosphorus content in water was influenced by suspended solids through adsorption; however, due to the higher phosphorus contents in suspended solids, we should pay more attention to the impact of suspended solids.


2011 ◽  
Vol 64 (8) ◽  
pp. 1692-1699 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. F. Yong ◽  
A. Deletic ◽  
T. D. Fletcher ◽  
M. R. Grace

Pervious pavements are an effective stormwater treatment technology. However, their performance under variable drying and wetting conditions have yet to be tested, particularly under a continuous time scale. This paper reports on the clogging behaviour and pollutant removal efficiency of three pervious pavement types over 26 accelerated years. These pavements were monolithic porous asphalt (PA), Permapave (PP) and modular Hydrapave (HP). Over a cycle of 13 days, the period of which was equivalent to the average annual Brisbane, Australia rainfall (1,200 mm), the pavements were randomly dosed with four different flows. Drying events of 3 h duration were simulated during each flow. Inflow and outflow samples were collected and analysed for Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Phosphorus (TP) and Total Nitrogen (TN). To evaluate the rate of clogging, a 1 in 5 year Brisbane storm event was simulated in the 6th, 8th, 12th, 16th, 20th and 24th week. Under normal dosing conditions, none of the pavements showed signs of clogging even after 15 years. However, under storm conditions, both PA and HP started to clog after 12 years, while PP showed no signs of clogging after 26 years. The drying and various flow events showed no effects in TSS removal, with all systems achieving a removal of approximately 100%. The average TP removal was 20% for all flows except for low flow, which had a significant amount of leaching over time. Leaching from TN was also observed during all flows except high flow. The TSS, TP and TN results observed during storm events were similar to that of high flow.


2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 220-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathy M. DeBusk ◽  
William F. Hunt

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems have the unique ability to contribute to stormwater management goals via mitigation of runoff volumes and peak flow rates. Additionally, collecting and storing runoff via RWH systems can potentially provide water quality benefits due to physical and chemical processes that occur within the storage tank. This study quantified the water quality improvement provided by storing rooftop runoff via RWH systems at four sites in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Roof runoff and extraction spigot samples were analyzed for total suspended solids (TSS), nitrogen species and total phosphorus. Roof concentrations were significantly greater than spigot concentrations for all constituents except TSS, indicating the ability of RWH systems to significantly lower nutrient concentrations of incoming roof runoff. Lack of significant TSS reduction was likely attributable to low, ‘irreducible’ concentrations of TSS in the roof runoff. The use of additional filtration components prior to the extraction spigot could aid in lowering spigot TSS concentrations. The findings presented herein contend that stormwater benefits associated with RWH are not only limited to hydrologic mitigation, but also include reductions in concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus species. Thus, it is recommended that pollutant removal credit be assigned to these systems when used as stormwater control measures.


1987 ◽  
Vol 19 (9) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
K. C. Das

The James River has its head waters in the Allegheny Mountains and flows generally southeasterly to Hampton Roads, Chesapeake Bay and thence to the Atlantic Ocean. Below Richmond, Virginia, the river is tidal with the channel meandering through the coastal plains. Below Hopewell it widens to a broad estuary, with a deep navigable channel bordered by tide marshes. The upper estuary, between Richmond and Hopewell, is heavily used for water supply, recreation, and industrial development. The water entering the estuary a few miles upstream of Richmond is of good quality. However, as one reaches Richmond, the quality of the water deteriorates. There are eleven major discharging municipalities and industries within a stretch of twenty two river miles between Richmond and Hopewell. The major factors contributing to water quality problems below the City of Richmond stem from the intermittent discharge from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) coupled with the continuous discharge from the City's sewage treatment plant. The CSOs contribute a large quantity of soluble BOD, suspended solids, settleable solids, and fecal coliforms to the estuary. The City's sewage treatment plant continuously discharges large quantities of ammonia-nitrogen and phosphorus, in addition to BOD and suspended solids. Rational Management and use of the waters of the upper James estuary appear to be critical. The objectives of this paper, therefore, are the discussion of the present water quality and the wastewater discharge reductions required in order to meet certain water quality and water use objectives.


1999 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. N. L. Scholes ◽  
R. B. E. Shutes ◽  
D. M. Revitt ◽  
D. Purchase ◽  
M. Forshaw

The Environment Agency for England and Wales has developed urban runoff treatment wetlands at two selected sites in Outer London. The systems were monitored for a range of determinands including heavy metals, suspended solids and BOD. Initial analysis of the data indicates that during dry weather, removal efficiencies vary greatly. However, during storm events removal efficiencies are higher with mean values of 71% for Zn, 72% for Cd, 69% for Pb, 66% for Cu, 34% for Ni and 81% for Cr at the Dagenham wetland. Mean removal efficiencies of 20% for Cd, 40% for Pb, 36% for Cu, 34% for Ni and 38% for Cr were monitored during storm conditions at the Brentwood wetland, but an overall increase in Zn was measured. Removal of BOD was greater at both sites during storm events with mean removal efficiencies of 24% and 29% at Dagenham and Brentwood, respectively. Suspended solids are reduced on passing through both wetlands during dry weather, but, during storm events there is an overall increase. The metal removal capability of microorganisms isolated from the rhizosphere of Typha latifolia and Phragmites australis is being investigated. Laboratory experiments are assessing the efficiency of two metal tolerant strains to accumulate Pb and Zn. It is believed that this ability may prove to be an important year-round pollutant removal process in the treatment of urban runoff by constructed wetland treatment systems, and preliminary data are presented.


2012 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. C. Maniquiz ◽  
S. Y. Lee ◽  
J. Y. Choi ◽  
S. M. Jeong ◽  
L. H. Kim

The efficiency of a free water surface flow constructed wetland (CW) in treating agricultural discharges from stream was investigated during storm and non-storm events between April and December, 2009. Physico-chemical and water quality constituents were monitored at five sampling locations along the flow path of the CW. The greatest reduction in pollutant concentration was observed after passing the sedimentation zone at approximately 4% fractional distance from the inflow. The inflow hydraulic loading, flow rates and pollutant concentrations were significantly higher and variable during storm events than non-storm (baseflow) condition (p <0.001) that resulted to an increase in the average pollutant removal efficiencies by 10 to 35%. The highest removal percentages were attained for phosphate (51 ± 22%), ammonium (44 ± 21%) and phosphorus (38 ± 19%) while nitrate was least effectively retained by the system with only 25 ± 17% removal during non-storm events. The efficiency of the system was most favorable when the temperature was above 15 °C (i.e., almost year-round except the winter months) and during storm events. Overall, the outflow water quality was better than the inflow water quality signifying the potential of the constructed wetland as a treatment system and capability of improving the stream water quality.


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