INSTRUCTORS
Curtis Hinman
Senior Scientist
Key project experience: Research
specialist in the performance and
design of LID practices.
ADVANCED TOPICS IN LID DESIGN:
BIORETENTION MEDIA AND COMPOST
AMENDED SOILS
Training Program
Statewide LID
introduction
media primer
water quality treatment strategies
performance
AGENDA
wrap-up
LOGISTICS
SCHEDULE
8‐hour training
Lunch on your own
OTHER LOGISTICS
• Restrooms
• Food
• Turn off cell phones
• Sign in and sign out
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Gain an advanced level understanding
of the physical and chemical
characteristics of bioretention media
components and blends necessary to
meet specific performance objectives.
2. Understand the flow control and water
quality treatment performance of
current bioretention media
specifications.
3. Know the options for meeting BMP
T5.13, and strategies for determining
site soil conditions and developing a soil
management plan.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
• 2012: Public and private
partners engage state
legislature to fund program
• June 2012: LID Training
Steering Committee convened
• 2012‐2013: Washington State
LID Training Plan developed:
www.wastormwatercenter.org/
statewide‐lid‐training‐program‐
plan
• 2014: Training program built
from state LID Training Plan
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
• Implement first phase of
trainings (September 2014
through May 2015)
• 64 trainings offered in first
phase
• Three levels: Introductory,
Intermediate, and Advanced
PROJECT LEAD
ADDITIONAL TRAINING SUPPORT
TEAM
CORE TEAM
Introduction to
LID for Eastern
Washington
INTRODUCTORY
INTERMEDIATE
ADVANCED
TRAIN THE TRAINERS
Service Providers
Introduction to
LID for Inspection &
Maintenance Staff
Introduction to
LID for Developers &
Contractors: Make
Money be Green
Intermediate LID
Design: Rainwater
Collection Systems &
Vegetated Roofs
Intermediate LID –
NPDES Phase I & II
Requirements
Intermediate
LID Design:
Permeable Pavement
Intermediate
LID Design:
Hydrologic Modeling
Advanced Topics in
LID Design:
Bioretention
Advanced Topics in
LID Design:
Permeable Pavement
Advanced Topics in
LID Design:
Hydrologic Modeling
Advanced Topics in
LID Design: Site
Assessment, Planning
& Layout
LID Topic Experts
Advanced Topics in
LID Design: Rainwater
Collection Systems &
Vegetated Roofs
Advanced Topics in
LID Design:
Bioretention Media
TRAINING SEQUENCE
Advanced Topics for
LID Operations:
Bioretention
Intermediate
LID Design:
Bioretention
Advanced Topics for
LID Operations:
Permeable Pavement
Intermediate LID
Design: Site
Assessment, Planning
& Layout
Introduction to
LID for Eastern
Washington
INTRODUCTORY
INTERMEDIATE
ADVANCED
TRAIN THE TRAINERS
Service Providers
Introduction to
LID for Inspection &
Maintenance Staff
Introduction to
LID for Developers &
Contractors: Make
Money be Green
Intermediate LID
Design: Rainwater
Collection Systems &
Vegetated Roofs
Intermediate LID –
NPDES Phase I & II
Requirements
Intermediate
LID Design:
Permeable Pavement
Intermediate
LID Design:
Hydrologic Modeling
Advanced Topics in
LID Design:
Bioretention
Advanced Topics in
LID Design:
Permeable Pavement
Advanced Topics in
LID Design:
Hydrologic Modeling
Advanced Topics in
LID Design: Site
Assessment, Planning
& Layout
LID Topic Experts
Advanced Topics in
LID Design: Rainwater
Collection Systems &
Vegetated Roofs
Advanced Topics in
LID Design:
Bioretention Media
TRAINING SEQUENCE
Advanced Topics for
LID Operations:
Bioretention
Intermediate
LID Design:
Bioretention
Advanced Topics for
LID Operations:
Permeable Pavement
Intermediate LID
Design: Site
Assessment, Planning
& Layout
introduction
2002
• First bioretention applications with monitoring (Seattle SEA
Street).
• Primarily topsoil based media.
2009
• Issues with BSM consistency using topsoil emerge.
• PSAT funds small project through WSU to ID alternative and
potentially more consistent materials for BSM. Flow focused.
Sand‐ and compost‐based media guideline developed.
• Report guidelines adopted by Ecology for western WA
specification.
• Sand spec well‐tested and performs well hydraulically. OM
content spec too high.
2011
• WSU LID research facility comes online. Media blend research
focus (no funding to conduct fundamental media component
characterization).
In the beginning there wasn’t much…
2012
• Export of N, P and Cu identified at WSU facility and City of Redmond
swale monitoring.
• Individual BSM component characterization studies begin at Port of
Olympia (Herrera), City of Redmond (Herrera) and at WSU (primarily
compost).
2013
• Ecology funds approximately $1 million in media study projects through
Kitsap County (Herrera technical lead), City of Tacoma (UWT technical
lead) and City of Redmond (Herrera technical lead).
• Kitsap County project examining a broad range of individual media
components.
• City of Tacoma project focused on WTRs.
• Redmond focused on full‐scale monitoring of swales (component
characterization included).
2015
• Significant new data coming available to hopefully improve BSM
performance and consistency.
• We may be a few years from developing a reliable, affordable and non‐
proprietary BSM to treat a broad suite of pollutants.
BACKGROUND
INTRODUCTION
Today’s focus:
• Bioretention media for advanced water quality treatment
(direct release to receiving waters, over shallow drinking
water aquifers, industrial sites, remedial sites…)
• There are many applications where a conventional sand
and compost or topsoil‐based media will perform well
BACKGROUND
Context
• For advance treatment media we are opening a complex
black box…
• And attempting to reliably replicate a dynamic biological
system with complex structures and processes to treat a
broad range of contaminants to very low levels…a worthy
challenge!
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
INTRODUCTION
• Flow Entrance
• Pre‐Settling
• Ponding Area
• Bioretention Soil
• Mulch/Compost
• Vegetation
• Filter Fabric (?)
• Liner (optional)
• Underdrain (optional)
• Overflow
media primer
BIORETENTION HYDRAULICS PRIMER
MEDIA BASICS
Factors influencing hydraulic conductivity
• Percent fines
• Particle size distribution
BIORETENTION HYDRAULICS PRIMER
MEDIA BASICS
Hydraulic conductivity strongly related to
percent fines (passing #200 sieve)
BIORETENTION HYDRAULICS PRIMER
MEDIA BASICS
Hydraulic conductivity strongly related to
coefficient of uniformity
BIORETENTION HYDRAULICS PRIMER
MEDIA BASICS
Factors influencing hydraulic conductivity
• Percent fines
• Particle size distribution
• Compaction
• Organic material
• Plants
BIORETENTION HYDRAULICS PRIMER
MEDIA BASICS
Control structures
BIORETENTION HYDRAULICS PRIMER
MEDIA BASICS
• ASTM D2434
Break
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PRIMER
MEDIA BASICS
All primary pathways for removing pollutants from storm flows
are active in bioretention
• Stormwater volume reduction
• Sedimentation
• Filtration
• Phytoremediation
• Thermal attenuation
• Sorption
• Complexation
• Volatilzation
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PRIMER
Factors influencing water quality treatment
• pH
• Temperature
• Hydraulic residence time
• Media (organic material, particle size, porosity, chemistry)
• Competing ions, ionic chemistry
• Soil water condition
• Influent concentration
MEDIA BASICS
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PRIMER
Is the following statement correct?
• If an influent concentration of 5 µg/L into a bioretention area
results in an effluent concentration of 10 µg/L
then
• an influent concentration of 50 µg/L will result in an effluent
concentration of 100 µg/L.
MEDIA BASICS
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PRIMER
Sorption
• Ionic charge and speciation
• Functional groups (moiety)
• Organic material (TOC and DOC)
• Competing ions and ion exchange
• Clay (particle size)
Metal Fraction
Mobility
Exchangeable Fraction
High. Changes in major cationic compositions may cause
release due to ion exchange
Fe‐Mn Oxides Bound
Carbonate Bound
Medium. Changes in redox conditions may cause release
OM Bound
Medium/high. Decomposition/oxidation with time.
Residual Fraction
Low. Available after weathering.
MEDIA BASICS
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PRIMER
Sorption
MEDIA BASICS
water quality treatment strategies
TREATMENT STRATEGIES
• Sorption and metal complexes
• Metal atom associated with group of molecules or anions
• Organically bound Cu often dominant fraction in soils
“Cu however, has a high
affinity for soluble organic
ligands and the formation of
these complexes may greatly
increase Cu mobility in soils.”
(EPA 1992)
MEDIA BASICS
TREATMENT STRATEGIES
• Implications for copper
• To best manage Cu we will likely have to manage DOC
• Fe and Ca may be (likely), important for DOC capture
• Identify aggregate and organic materials with low Cu content
and flushing potential
MEDIA BASICS
TREATMENT STRATEGIES
• Primary mechanisms for P
management
• Plant and microbial uptake
• Sorption and precipitation.
Sorption materials include
Al and Fe hydroxides and
• Reactions are pH
dependent. Calcium likely
not a reliable material for
binding P (higher pH best
for precipitation)
MEDIA BASICS
Organic matter, fertilizers
Available P
Mineral P
Adsorbed P
inorganic
Microbial P
organic
leaching
weathering
precipitation
Plant uptake
Methods for retaining phosphate
TREATMENT STRATEGIES
MEDIA BASICS
TREATMENT STRATEGIES
• P removal efficiency v input concentration
MEDIA BASICS
‐300
‐250
‐200
‐150
‐100
‐50
100
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
Phosphorus Removal
Efficiency,%
Concentration, mgTP/L
BIN 34
BIN 35
BIN 36
BIN 37
During initial loadings with tap water (< 0.06mg/l) there was export of P.
Stormwater loadings commenced after 18 months.
TREATMENT STRATEGIES
Implications for phosphorus
• Design with lower organic material content and upper range
for C/N ratio (i.e. 35/1)
• Use organic material that is refractory (probably the older
the better)
• Bind P with Al or Fe hydroxides
• Identify aggregate material with little to no P flushing
• Likely will need a polishing layer/filter if using compost
• Above design considerations likely most important for at
least three years of installation
MEDIA BASICS
TREATMENT STRATEGIES
Methods for managing nitrate (biological transformations)
MEDIA BASICS
organic matter
mineralization
Ammonium (NH4
nitrification
Nitrites (NO2
Nitrates (NO3
plant consumption
Denitrification
(N2, N2O)
leaching
NO3‐ electron acceptor not O2 in
anaerobic conditions
2NO3‐ + 10e‐ + 12H+ N2 + 6H2O
Electron donor may be sugar,
hydrocarbon (simple) or complex
(mulch).
TREATMENT STRATEGIES
MEDIA BASICS
TREATMENT STRATEGIES
Methods for managing nitrate (60‐15‐15‐10 columns)
MEDIA BASICS
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
12/14/11 Test
12/21/11 Test
12/28/11 Test
1/3/12 Test
Concentration (mg/L)
Influent
Treatment 1
Treatment 2
Treatment 3
Treatment 4
TREATMENT STRATEGIES
Implications
• Design with an elevated under‐drain (multiple advantages to
this approach)
• Caution: we don’t fully understand the potential for metal
and P desorption in the anoxic zone
MEDIA BASICS
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0.35
0.4
0.45
12/14/11 Test
12/21/11 Test
12/28/11 Test
1/3/12 Test
Concentration (mg/L)
Influent
Treatment 1
Treatment 2
Treatment 3
Treatment 4
TREATMENT STRATEGIES
PERFORMANCE
Nitrate‐nitrite (mg/L)
10/16/2014
influent
70vs/20cp/10gac
70ws/20cp/10ash
70vs/20cp/10ash
90vs/10comp/player
1.75
0.028
0.327
0.362
1.62
0.028
0.083
0.339
1.53
0.037
0.194
0.366
1.57
0.031
0.201
0.356
1.573
0.028
0.194
0.362
1.570
10/30/2014
influent
70vs/20cp/10gac
70ws/20cp/10ash
70vs/20cp/10ash
90vs/10comp/player
0.561
0.016
0.216
no sample
0.842
0.019
0.097
0.201
0.851
0.025
0.164
0.198
0.88
0.020
0.159
0.200
0.858
0.019
0.164
0.200
0.851
‐52
TREATMENT STRATEGIES
Filtration: 60/40 bioretention media provides excellent filtration
of TSS (depending on PSD and permeability)…
MEDIA BASICS
Does not appear to be concentration dependent
performance
HYDRAULIC PERFORMANCE
ASTM D2434 tests performed 2011 as part of a project to
standardize test methods across regional labs (60/40 media)
PERFORMANCE
HYDRAULIC PERFORMANCE
• Soil treatments
• 60% sand – 40% compost
• 80% sand – 20% compost
• 60% sand – 30% compost –
10% WTRs
• 60%sand – 15% compost –
15% shredded bark – 10%
WTRs
• 60% sand – 10% biosolids –
15% – shredded bark – 5%
sawdust – 10% WTRs
PERFORMANCE
HYDRAULIC PERFORMANCE
• Mesocosm Falling Head Permeability Test (May‐June 2011)
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
35.00
Ksat (in/hr)
Mesocosm
12″ ‐ 6″
6″ ‐ 0″
PERFORMANCE
HYDRAULIC PERFORMANCE
• Mesocosm Falling Head Permeability Test (June 2012)
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
35.00
Ksat (in/hr)
Mesocosm
12″ ‐ 6″
6″ ‐ 0″
PERFORMANCE
HYDRAULIC PERFORMANCE
• Mesocosm Falling Head Permeability Test (June 2013)
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
Ksat (in/hr)
Mesocosm
12″ ‐ 6″
6″ ‐ 0″
PERFORMANCE
HYDRAULIC PERFORMANCE
ASTM D2434 tests performed 2015 as part of a project to develop a
high performance water quality treatment media
PERFORMANCE
138
148
100
120
140
160
70vs/20fe/10de
70vs/20fe/10ash
70vs/20cp/10de
70vs/20cp/10gac
70ws/20cp/10ash
70vs/20cp/10ash
90vs/10comp/player
Ksat (in/hr)
Treatment
Mean Ksat Rates per ASTM 2434
HYDRAULIC PERFORMANCE
Implications
• Consider carefully acceptance/verification
requirements….the system may be hydraulically functional,
but not meet specific guidelines at that time
• Consider how to size and operate a system that may be
evolving over time
Side note
• The region may becoming more accepting of high flow media
with control structures
PERFORMANCE
Lunch
HYDRAULIC PERFORMANCE
Compost‐based media
PERFORMANCE
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
anything interesting
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PERFORMANCE
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WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PERFORMANCE
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WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
Analyte
Units
Median
Influent
Min
Median
Effluent
Max
Sand
Result
TSS
mg/L
4.9
5.3
22.5
Diss Zn
µg/L
20.0
Diss Cu
µg/L
1.7
8.6
15.9
14.0
PO4
mg/L
0.016
0.086
0.236
0.461
0.15
NO3‐NO2
mg/L
0.361
0.05
0.145
1.03
0.36
Fecal coliform CFU/100mL
229
22.5
• All mesocosms (Phase 1 flushing regime)
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
Developing a high‐performance WQ treatment media
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
Media treatments
• 60% sand/40% compost (control).
• 70% volcanic sand/20% iron‐fused wood chips/10% high carbon wood ash.
• 70% volcanic sand/20% iron‐fused wood chips/10% diatomaceous earth.
• 70% volcanic sand/20% coco coir/10% diatomaceous earth.
• 70% volcanic sand/20% coco coir/10% granulated activated charcoal.
• 70% washed sand/20% coco coir/10% high carbon wood ash.
• 70% volcanic sand/20% coco coir/10% high carbon wood ash.
• 90% volcanic sand/10% compost/polishing drainage layer (volcanic sand,
activated alumina and bone char).
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT…