Evaluation of a Three-Dimensional Hydrodynamic and Water Quality Model for Design of Wastewater Stabilization Ponds
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 149, Issue 4
Abstract
A three-dimensional coupled hydrodynamic and water quality model (Deflt3D-WAQ) was applied to evaluate the ability of a computational simulation to reproduce seasonal water quality conditions over a seven-month period in a wastewater stabilization pond located in eastern Ontario, Canada. Trends in effluent nutrient concentrations, pH, and dissolved oxygen were visually reproduced, and root-mean square errors, in comparison with weekly observations (alkalinity, ; dissolved oxygen, ; , ; , ; , ; pH, 0.65), were consistent with literature values. Three phytoplankton groups (green algae, diatoms, and flagellates) were also simulated. The calibrated model was extended to investigate the effects of changes in pond design on treatment efficiency, including removing the baffle, increasing the pond depth, increasing wind sheltering, and relocating the influent pipe from the pond bottom to the surface. Increasing the pond depth and wind sheltering reduced vertical mixing, sequestering nutrients near the sediments and improving effluent water quality. Removing the baffle had no impact on removal efficiency, and relocating the inlet to the surface reduced pond efficiency. Three-dimensional biogeochemical models thus provide a virtual process-based means for testing pond prototype design.
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Data Availability Statement
The model setup and forcing files are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. The calibration data in Delft3D FLOW-WAQ is open-source and available from https://oss.deltares.nl/.
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Queen’s Research Opportunities Research Leader’s Fund, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Collaborative Research and Development (CRD), Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA), and Canada Graduate Scholarships—Master’s (CGSM) programs, and the Canada Research Chairs program. We thank Rudy Schueder for providing his model setups and Geof Hall for the Chlorophyll-a observations. The observed pond data were provided by the municipality of Loyalist Township.
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Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 149 • Issue 4 • April 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 13, 2022
Accepted: Nov 14, 2022
Published online: Jan 28, 2023
Published in print: Apr 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Jun 28, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Bodies of water (by type)
- Computer models
- Dissolved oxygen
- Engineering fundamentals
- Environmental engineering
- Fluid dynamics
- Fluid mechanics
- Hydrodynamics
- Hydrologic engineering
- Hydrologic models
- Models (by type)
- Ponds
- Simulation models
- Three-dimensional models
- Water and water resources
- Water management
- Water quality
- Water treatment
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