AbstractsBiology & Animal Science

Wastewater Irrigation in Freezing Conditions and the Impacts to Runoff Water Quality and Soil Freezing

by Joshua E Griffin




Institution: The Ohio State University
Department: Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Degree: MS
Year: 2015
Keywords: Agricultural Engineering; freezing; wastewater; irrigation; soil
Record ID: 2058175
Full text PDF: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1420584627


Abstract

Soils are the optimal means of wastewater treatment and dispersal for onsite wastewater treatment systems. However in Ohio many soils are not deep enough for traditional wastewater treatment systems that utilize soil. Surface irrigation is an alternative means for the dispersal of wastewater on shallower soils. For surface irrigation to be feasible for onsite applications it is necessary to irrigate year-round so storage is not necessary. Wastewater irrigation in cold weather raises questions about how the wastewater will interact with frozen soils and if pollutant runoff will occur. The impact of wastewater irrigation on runoff was evaluated on a field scale. The potential impacts of irrigation on soil freezing through multiple freeze-thaw cycles, common to Ohio, are evaluated in the controlled setting of the laboratory. Soil freezing was monitored in both settings using soil moisture and temperature sensors. The effectiveness of the sensors to monitor soil freezing in soils was evaluated.