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”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Week 1

HMTS SEED BARE

STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION GROWTHGROWTH

HMTS SEED BARE

Week 4

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

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

Week 1

Week 4

STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION GROWTHGROWTH

Week 1

Week 4

HMTS SEED

HMTS SEED

STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION STUDY RESULTS: VEGETATION GROWTHGROWTH

Daily Irrigation Results

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

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

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

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

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)

Naval Base Entrance

RESULTS: OTHER ISLAND RESULTS: OTHER ISLAND APPLICATIONSAPPLICATIONS

Week 1

Week 4

Before Week 1

Week 4

RESULTS: OTHER ISLAND RESULTS: OTHER ISLAND APPLICATIONSAPPLICATIONS

Sidewalk Berm Reconstruction

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

RESULTS: SITE SPECIFIC SOIL RESULTS: SITE SPECIFIC SOIL --CLAYCLAYCivitan Creek Stream Restoration, Winston-Salem NC

Initial

After Hurricane

After 1 Mo

RESULTS: SITE SPECIFIC SOIL RESULTS: SITE SPECIFIC SOIL --SANDSANDVero Lago Development, Vero Beach FL

Lake Bank Stabilization

Canal Stabilization

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

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

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)

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

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