NITROGEN & PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL FROM SHALLOW GROUNDWATER

NITROGEN & PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL FROM SHALLOW GROUNDWATER LITTLE BOGUE, ELLIOTT, MS. CONSTRUCTED NOVEMBER 2009

Research Monitoring & Analysis Hydrolab used to measure DO, ORP, temp, conductivity, turbidity & pH Lab measurement of ortho-P, NO 3 -N, TOC, alkalinity and NH 3 -N

Colorado State Field Lab Nitrogen Removal Results

Colorado State Field Lab Phosphorus Removal Results

LITTLE BOGUE, ELLIOTT, MS. FULL-SIZED TEST SITE –CONSTRUCTED FALL 2008 Drawings by Dave Derrick

Aerial view with approximate research project trench location in yellow & control section (trench not dug) in pink. PRE-PROJECT - RS2 PROJECT-LITTLE BOGUE FROM RED HEN VIDEO

RS2 Test Site: Little Bogue, Elliott, MS On the narrow mid-bank bench (average width ft, approx. 8 ft above the streamside floodplain bench), a trench a bucket wide (1.0 ft) was dug to a depth of 4 ft. This should intercept a large amount of shallow groundwater.

RS2 Test Site: Little Bogue, Elliott, MS There is a 75 ft long control section (nothing done, no trench, just monitoring instruments), and a 150 ft long test trench section. Within the downstream 75 ft of the test trench, three 25 ft-long test plots of adventitious rooting poles of Black Willow, Sycamore, & River Birch were placed, spacing varied from 1 to 2 ft.

RS2 Test Site: Little Bogue, Elliott, MS For the test section shovels were used to backfill the trench with a mix of 20% (by volume) Aluminum Sulfate, xx% mulch, and the remainder native soil from the trench. This effectively planted the live poles to a depth of 4 ft.

RS2 Test Site: Little Bogue, Elliott, MS Monitoring instruments determine performance of the control and planted & not planted test sections. Instruments at different depths will determine if some groundwater is bypassing the test trench.

RS2 Test Site: Little Bogue, Elliott, MS According to the CSU laboratory tests, the Aluminum Sulfide and carbon (mulch) should greatly reduce the Nitrogen & Phosphorus load to the stream.

Install instrumentation as required. Monitor for long-term project performance. 200 ft RS2 Test Site: Little Bogue, Elliott, MS - aerial view

Looking entrance conditions into project bend. Note floodplain bench & mid-bank bench where the test will occur. PRE-PROJECT - RS2 PROJECT-LITTLE BOGUE PIX BY DAVE DERRICK

Looking the mid-bank bench where the test will be conducted. Control area in pink, test trench location in black. PRE-PROJECT - RS2 PROJECT-LITTLE BOGUE PIX BY DAVE DERRICK

LET’S DO SOME RESEARCH !!

1ft 4ft Design concept of Reactive Stream Stabilization (RS2) on Little Bogue From Drs. Dave Biedenharn & Chester Watson

Two bags of Aluminum Sulfate for each bag of Eucalyptus mulch CONSTRUCTION-RS2 PROJECT-LITTLE BOGUE PIX BY DAVE DERRICK

Hand labor is used to mix Aluminum Sulfate & mulch into backfill. Next time an excavator will be used to mix and backfill, we are learning!! No plantings in this first 75 ft. CONSTRUCTION-RS2 PROJECT-LITTLE BOGUE PIX BY DAVE DERRICK

Trench was dug to a consistent depth of 4 ft for entire length CONSTRUCTION-RS2 PROJECT-LITTLE BOGUE PIX BY DAVE DERRICK John McCullah says, “Dig a hole, plant a pole!!”

Looking seeded & mulched trench, berm, & plantings. CONSTRUCTION-RS2 PROJECT-LITTLE BOGUE PIX BY DAVE DERRICK

Water & soil samples taken in May and July Monitoring wells installed January From Drs. Dave Biedenharn & Chester Watson

7 MONTHS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETION TAKING SOIL SAMPLES Photos by Derrick JULY 3, 2009

Looking the test site. Excellent planted grass coverage. All planted poles died except for a few willows!!! 7 MONTHS AFTER TRENCHING-LITTLE BOGUE PIX DERRICK

Close-up of one of the willows that lived. 7 MONTHS AFTER TRENCHING-LITTLE BOGUE PIX DERRICK

Looking downhill at one of the monitoring wells. 7 MONTHS AFTER TRENCHING-LITTLE BOGUE PIX DERRICK

Ground water & soil sampling protocol from Dr. Ken Carlson, Colorado State University.

Tools used to take a soil sample 16 inches below the surface. 7 MONTHS AFTER TRENCHING-LITTLE BOGUE PIX DERRICK

Very dry for the top 7 inches or so in each of the 15 soil sample holes 7 MONTHS AFTER TRENCHING-LITTLE BOGUE PIX DERRICK

Soil Sample Results Total phosphorus reduced by about 44% through RS2. Increased by Total phosphorus reduced by about 44% through RS2. Increased by about 58% through control section. The bio-available phosphorus was decreased by about 55% through RS2, and by about 20% through control section From Drs. Dave Biedenharn & Chester Watson

Well Sample Results Total nitrogen (TN) reduced by 40% Nitrate (NO3 - ) reduced by 51% Aqueous phase Total Phosphorus (TP) reduced by 31% Aqueous phase Dissolved Reactive Phosphorus (DRP) reduced by 14% Total Organic Carbon increased by 590% (most likely due to mulch amendment to barrier) From Drs. Dave Biedenharn & Chester Watson

17 MONTHS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETION Photos by Derrick April 5, 2010

Looking US. Nature has taken over the test site 17 MONTHS AFTER TRENCHING-LITTLE BOGUE PIX DERRICK

Several planted willows were growing thriving. Most of the other plants probably died due to the poisonous to plants natural chemical found in the eucalyptus bark mulch that was used. 17 MONTHS AFTER TRENCHING-LITTLE BOGUE PIX DERRICK

Summary The initial results from the Little Bogue Reactive Stream Stabilization project are very encouraging. The design objectives of installing a reactive barrier with significantly elevated concentrations of aluminum for P adsorption and bio-available organic matter for enhanced nitrogen removal appear to have been achieved. Based on sampling data from 5 and 7 months after construction, the RS2 structure appears to be removing significant amounts of N and P from agricultural runoff that would normally enter the creek. From Drs. Dave Biedenharn & Chester Watson

Man’s best friend, Cleophus Speed Elvis Derrick