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Melanie Carter, PhD
Environmental Engineer
US Environmental Protection Service
2006 JSEM Conference and Exhibition2006 JSEM Conference and Exhibition
Denver, CO March 20Denver, CO March 20--2323
“Improving Runoff Water Quality Using an Innovative Treatment System for
Erosion Control, Site Stabilization, and Vegetation Establishment”
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STORMWATER: WATER QUALITY STORMWATER: WATER QUALITY COMPLIANCECOMPLIANCE
COMMON STORMWATER POLLUTANTS• Suspended Sediment and Turbidity
• Nutrients, Both N and P
NPDES PHASE II REGULATIONS• Clean Water Act, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
• Phase II (1999) Extended Permit Coverage to Small Communities and Public Entities with MS4s
• Applies to New Development and Construction Activities
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STORMWATER: WATER QUALITY STORMWATER: WATER QUALITY COMPLIANCECOMPLIANCE
COMPLIANCE WITH NPDES PHASE II REGULATIONS• Eliminate/Reduce Stormwater Runoff Discharges
Stormwater Retention and Infiltration Techniques
• Control Suspended Sediments in Stormwater Runoff
• Control Nutrients in Stormwater Runoff
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STORMWATER RUNOFF STORMWATER RUNOFF TREATMENT TREATMENT USEPS HYDROMULCH TREATMENT SYSTEM (HMTS)
1. Site Stabilization and Erosion Control
Anionic Polyacrylamide (PAM)
• Soil-Specific Chemistry for Soil Particle Binding
• Soil Aggregate Formation = Reduced Suspended SedimentReduced Suspended Sediment
• Increased Infiltration = Reduced Runoff VolumeReduced Runoff Volume
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USEPS HYDROMULCH TREATMENT SYSTEM (HMTS)
2. Vegetation Establishment
H2OLD (patented): Slow - Release Fertilization
• Natural Silica Mineral with Phillipsite Zeolite
STORMWATER RUNOFF STORMWATER RUNOFF TREATMENT TREATMENT
•Assorted Micronutrients, Low Sodium Content
• High Water Holding Capacity = Reduced IrrigationReduced Irrigation
• High Cation Exchange Capacity = Enhanced Nutrient RetentionEnhanced Nutrient Retention
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STUDY DESCRIPTIONSTUDY DESCRIPTIONPROJECT OBJECTIVES♦ Establish Vegetation on Roadside Areas of Constructed Roads Using HMTS Application
♦ Evaluate Stormwater Runoff Quality
PROJECT LOCATIONNaval Training Facility,Andros Island, Bahamas
Winter Climate:
Temp. Range 65-85 deg F
Low Rainfall
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HMTS APPLICATION COMPONENTS• PAM Powder – APS 705/Shock Mix
• BIOSOL Organic Fertilizer
• 15-15-15 Soluble Fertilizer
• 100% Wood Mulch
• Common Ryegrass Seed
(Lolium sp.)
• Pensacola Bahia Seed
(Paspalum notatum)
• Mineral Soil Amendment – H2OLD
STUDY METHODSSTUDY METHODS
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TEST PLOT ESTABLISHMENT• Plots – HMTS, Seed Only, Bare
• Dimensions/Plot – 7ft W x 8ft L (4ft Slope, 4ft Top of Berm)
• Slope – 2.5:1
• Soil Type – Fossilized Coral, Oolitic Limestone from Disintegration of coral reefs and seashells.
• Soil pH – High, Very High
• Irrigation – Daily (Jan 23-Mar 10), 1-2 Times
• Soil Preparation
STUDY METHODSSTUDY METHODS
HMTS SEED BARE
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Erosion Measurements• Rebar Erosion Pins (4 in; 3/plot)
• Change in Height Over Time
Infiltration Rate Measurements• PVC Pipe (3-in Diam x 12-in H; 1/plot)
• Change in Water Level Over Time
Vegetation Measurements• Quadrants (9 in2; 3/plot)
• Stem Height & Stem Density
STUDY METHODS: TEST PLOTS STUDY METHODS: TEST PLOTS
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Week 1
HMTS SEED BARE
STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION GROWTHGROWTH
HMTS SEED BARE
Week 4
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STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION GROWTHGROWTH
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
HMTS Seed-Only Bare
Ave
rage
Ste
m H
eigh
t (in
) Week 1Week 4
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0
100
200
300
400
500
600
HMTS Seed-Only BareAve
rage
Ste
m D
ensi
ty (S
tem
s/sq
ft)
Week 1Week 4
STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION GROWTHGROWTH
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Week 1
Week 4
STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION GROWTHGROWTH
Week 1
Week 4
HMTS SEED
HMTS SEED
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STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION GROWTHGROWTH
Daily Irrigation Results
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STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION GROWTHGROWTH
SPECIES PLANTEDCommon Rye Grass (Temperature Range: 60-75 deg F)
Pensacola Bahia (Temperature Range: 80-95 deg F)
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
Week Date Temperature Range (F) Rainfall (in) 1 Jan 23-29 67.1 - 78.3 0.14 2 Jan 30-Feb 5 65.5 - 79.3 0.28 3 Feb 6-12 62.6 - 74.5 0.81 4 Feb 13-19 54.9 - 75.6 0.25 5 Feb 20 - 26 67.8 - 77.7 0.23
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STUDY RESULTS: EROSION STUDY RESULTS: EROSION
EROSION PIN DATA
VISUAL SEDIMENT LOSS
HMTS
SEED
BARE
Plot Average Change in Erosion Pin Ht (in)
Estimated Sediment Loss (cu ft)
HMTS 0.01 0.05 Seed-Only 0.33 1.56
Bare 0.30 1.38
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STUDY RESULTS: INFILTRATION STUDY RESULTS: INFILTRATION
Plot Week 1
Infiltration Rate (in/hr)
Week 4 Infiltration Rate
(in/hr)
HMTS 116.0 54.0 Seed 2.3 0.4 Bare Sealed Sealed
HMTS
SEED
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STUDY RESULTS: WATER QUALITYSTUDY RESULTS: WATER QUALITY
***Detection Limits: TSS = 1.0 mg/L; Turb = 1.00 NTU; NO3 = 0.05 mg/L; TKN = 1 mg/L; TP = 0.10 mg/L
Sediment Nutrients
Date Plot TSS (mg/L) Turbidity (NTU) Nitrate-N (mg/L) TKN (mg/L) Total Phosphorus (mg/L)
Bare 38786 >1000 Seed-Only 118650 >1000
HMTS 350 171.5
Wee
k 1
Irrigation H2O 7 4
Bare 3590 1090 0.87 39.0 < 0.10 Seed-Only 3200 3120 0.37 22.0 0.13
HMTS 17 4 0.19 < 1.0 0.39
Wee
k 4
Irrigation H2O < 1.0 < 1.00 0.15 1.0 < 0.10
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STUDY CONCLUSIONSSTUDY CONCLUSIONS
THE USEPS HYDROMULCH APPLICATION WAS SHOWN TO:
Enhance Site Stabilization (Erosion Pins, Sediment WQ Data)
Reduce Stormwater Pollutants (Sediment, Turbidity, and Nitrogen; Phosphorus?)
Reduce Stormwater Runoff (Infiltration Rate)
Enhance Vegetation Establishment (Stem Density and Height)
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Naval Base Entrance
RESULTS: OTHER ISLAND RESULTS: OTHER ISLAND APPLICATIONSAPPLICATIONS
Week 1
Week 4
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Before Week 1
Week 4
RESULTS: OTHER ISLAND RESULTS: OTHER ISLAND APPLICATIONSAPPLICATIONS
Sidewalk Berm Reconstruction
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RESULTS: VARIABLE SOIL TYPES RESULTS: VARIABLE SOIL TYPES --CLAYCLAYDemonstration Plot,
Lake Wheeler Field Laboratory, SECREF NCSU
Date Sample Turbidity (NTU) TSS (mg/L) 5/3/2005 Bare > 1000 2012 5/3/2005 Sod 170 352 5/3/2005 HM/USEPS 40 50 5/9/2005 Bare > 1000 2583 5/9/2005 Sod 130 263 5/9/2005 HM/USEPS 40 19
HMTS
SOD
BARE
SOD HMTS
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RESULTS: SITE SPECIFIC SOIL RESULTS: SITE SPECIFIC SOIL --CLAYCLAYCivitan Creek Stream Restoration, Winston-Salem NC
Initial
After Hurricane
After 1 Mo
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RESULTS: SITE SPECIFIC SOIL RESULTS: SITE SPECIFIC SOIL --SANDSANDVero Lago Development, Vero Beach FL
Lake Bank Stabilization
Canal Stabilization
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RESULTS: SITE SPECIFIC SOIL RESULTS: SITE SPECIFIC SOIL --ROCKYROCKYLake Bank Stabilization of Limestone/Marl Soils,
Miami-Dade County FL
Initial After 2 mo After Katrina
Initial After 2 mo
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HMTS COMPARISON TO SODHMTS COMPARISON TO SOD1. INITIAL STABILIZATION
HTMS Polymer Binds
Immediately to Soil
Reduced Runoff Volume and Runoff Pollutants
SODLack of Binding to
Existing Soil
Organic Media Prone to Erosion
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HMTS COMPARISON TO SODHMTS COMPARISON TO SOD2. PERMANENT STABILIZATION
HTMS Direct Rooting of
Vegetation in Existing Soil Media
Long-Term Growth Media Compatibility
SODSod Rooting Timeline
Media Compatibility Problems
(Topsoil Requirement)
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HMTS COMPARISON TO SODHMTS COMPARISON TO SOD3. WATER QUALITY
HMTSDesigned to Reduce Stormwater Pollutants
Designed to Achieve NPDES Phase II Compliance
SODIncreased Potential for Stormwater Pollutants
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HMTS COMPARISON TO SODHMTS COMPARISON TO SOD4. ECONOMICS
HMTSPerformance Based Specification
USEPS Application Guaranteed = “True Cost”
Reduced Water Quality Non-Compliance Risk
SODRe-application Costs
Erosion-Grading Costs