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6/06/2017 | 12:15 PM - 12:30 PM | Biogeochemical implications of indirectly discharging treated wastewater effluent into the floodplain | 302A

Biogeochemical implications of indirectly discharging treated wastewater effluent into the floodplain

Wastewater treatment plants traditionally discharge treated effluent directly into rivers, but some plants have started discharging into floodplains along rivers to support broader ecosystem service benefits. This indirect discharge may facilitate floodplain restoration, wastewater reuse, and enhance nutrient retention. Unfortunately, there is little data available to examine concerns that indirect discharge will contaminate drinking water or increase floodplain nutrient loads. We addressed these concerns by monitoring groundwater and surface water before, during, and after both floodplain restoration and overland discharge into the Yakima River floodplain. After a year of indirect discharge, we have found that effluent primarily increases nutrient concentrations in groundwater and surface waters near (within 50m) and directly down gradient of effluent, indicating low risk of drinking water contamination or floodplain degradation in the short term. However, we also found little evidence that effluent quality improves as it travels through surface waters of the floodplain to the river. We suggest that both the risk to drinking water and potential for improvements in effluent quality require a hydrologically-informed understanding of biogeochemistry and groundwater surface water interaction in the floodplain.

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S23 Rehabilitating urban streams: perspectives from science and management

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Presenters/Authors

Charlotte Narr (), Colorado State University, charlottenarr@trentu.ca;