BayScapes

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Phytoremediation
Laurie Fox Virginia Tech Hampton Roads AREC
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Water

• Most abundant resource
• 97 saltwater
• Most of 3 in glaciers
• Very small in surface and groundwater for humans

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Water

• Surface - water on or near the earths surface
  (rivers, lakes, springs, storm water)
• Ground - water in the saturated zone below the
  water table (aquifer)

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Water Cycle
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Water Quality

• The degree of excellence relative to
• color
• odor
• suspended solids
• nutrients
• dissolved oxygen
• pathogens (bacteria)

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Water Quality

• Threatened by
• overuse
• and
• pollution

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Water Quality

• Threatened by
• point and non-point source pollution
• through
• leaching and runoff
• of
• nutrients, sediments, toxics

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Leaching

• Movement of pollutant in water or another liquid
  downward
• through
• soil

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Runoff

• Movement of pollutant away from release site in
  water or another liquid flowing horizontally

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• Nutrients - N P
• Sediments - organic inorganic solid particles
• Toxics - pesticides, gas, oil, heavy metals,
  weeds, pathogens

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Environmental Protection Agency

• On January 9, 2001, EPA announced
• the publication of recommended
• water quality criteria for nutrients
• under section 304(a) of the Clean
• Water Act (see 66 FR 1671)
• http//www.epa.gov/OW/index.html

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EPAs expectations are for states to develop a
plan and to adopt nutrient criteria into water
quality standards.
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Top 3 causes of impairments of the nations
waters nutrients (NP) siltation pathogens
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Impairment Cultural Eutrophication Over-enrichment

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Chronic symptoms

• algal blooms
• low dissolved oxygen
• fish kills
• murky water
• depletion of desirable flora fauna
• increased turbidity
• stimulated microbes (Pfisteria)

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No swimming past markers
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Phytoremediation
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Phytoremediation

• Use of vegetative systems (plants)
• to cleanse contaminated soil or water

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What?

• sewage
• industrial wastewater
• landfill leachate
• toxic spills
• agricultural byproducts
• storm water runoff

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How?

• engineered wetlands
• buffer zones
• rain gardens
• in water systems

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Engineered Wetlands
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Buffer Zones
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Rain Gardens
Low
High
Middle
Adams County SWCD Quincy, IL

• 3 planting zones
• 4 days or less
• 5 of drainage area
• 6 water

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In Water Systems
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Bayville Golf Club

• Runoff into bay is large concern
• Buffer of fine fescues and other native grasses
  and plants
• All storm is captured and recycled as irrigation
  water

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Why Water Hyacinth?

• Bright glossy leaves, ornamental purple flowers.
• Reproduction is quick vegetative. (7 to 10
  days)
• Dense, fibrous root systems are efficient
  accumulators of nutrients.
• Readily available.
• Easily harvested?
• Can be composted.
• Do not overwinter.

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Corral design and construction

• Criteria
• cost effective, readily available, light weight,
  easy to assemble and maintain, effectively
  contain hyacinths
• Materials
• PVC-Irrigation Pipe
• Safety/oyster fencing
• Cable ties

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Corral design construction
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Deployment of corrals hyacinths
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Week 1 observations
104
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201
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204
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304
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303
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Week 8 observations
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SAVE THE BAYPHYTOREMEDIATON