Monitoring of a Best Management Practice Wetland before and after Maintenance
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 135, Issue 11
Abstract
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) Urban Watershed Management Branch monitored a best management practice (BMP) wetland in the Richmond Creek (RC) watershed. This BMP, designated Richmond Creek #5 (RC-5), is owned and operated by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection’s as part of the Bluebelt program. During monitoring performed in 2003 and 2004, RC-5 was monitored for several water quality parameters including suspended solids (SS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and phosphorous. Calculated SS loads demonstrated a 61% removal which is in line with the anticipated removals of 55%–57%, however, COD was not being removed from RC-5. Due to visible accumulation of sediment in the forebay and leaves throughout the BMP, maintenance activity was performed in the spring of 2005, to remove the sediment and organic matter (leaves) by vactor truck and physical labor. About four truck loads of sediment and leaf litter, estimated at (46 cubic yards), was removed from the site. Monitoring during the fall of 2005 measured the effects of this maintenance activity. The effluent concentrations of COD were significantly less and less variable after maintenance, and calculated influent and effluent COD loading indicated removals. The reduction in COD effluent coincided with drops in effluent phosphorous levels. Effluent SS concentrations were not significantly altered, implying RC-5 still had capacity to remove sediments before maintenance occurred. Indications are that the maintenance activity significantly reduced the COD effluent and may help communities manage phosphorous loadings.
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Acknowledgments
Many Urban Watershed Management Branch members assisted in the monitoring and analysis for this project. The majority of the monitoring, sampling, and laboratory analysis was performed by personnel from U.S. Infrastructure, Inc. This project could not have been performed without the permission and support of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) and their contractor, Hazen and Sawyer, P.C., responsible for the design of the best management practice. Special recognition is given to the following individuals for their cooperation: Dana Gumb, Director, Staten Island Bluebelt, New York City Department of Environmental Protection and Sandeep Mehrotra, Senior Associate, Hazen and Sawyer, P.C. Any opinions expressed in this paper are those of the writer and do not, necessarily, reflect the official positions and policies of the USEPA. Any mention of products or trade names does not constitute recommendation for use by the USEPA. Additional information about the Staten Island Bluebelt can be obtained on the DEP's website: http://home2.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/dep_projects/bluebelt.shtml.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 135 • Issue 11 • November 2009
Pages: 1145 - 1154
Copyright
© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: Oct 16, 2007
Accepted: Jun 9, 2009
Published online: Oct 15, 2009
Published in print: Nov 2009
Authors
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