Natural aquatic bog filter for farm pond
Hey all,
I live in Rural S.E. Kansas with a small farm pond, approx. 3/4 acre in size. The pond was recently dug to depth of 14 ft. with a gentle slope on the bank for about 3 feet and then a sharp drop to the bottom, “steep and deep” it is referred to here. It is fed year round by both a small spring and by a small creek which is part of a larger watershed area.
When we get heavy rains a substantial amount of water flows into the pond and the small creek becomes a stream for a few days. Although I haven’t yet had the pond tested, I think I’m safe in assuming that the runoff is contaminated to some degree with grey and black water from both flooded septic systems and local animal stock.
The creek, about 150 ft. long and 30 ft. wide before it enters the pond is naturally wet year round. We dumped over 40 tons of 6″ and 8″ limestone into the muddy creek before a semi-solid base was established, anything bigger than a medium sized tractor would probably sink.
Now, I would like to turn the creek into a natural filtering system before the runoff enters my pond. Many treatment facilities use aquatic bog plants to help treat wastewater. According to some information I’ve fond online, using a combination of various size rock as a pre filter; large rocks upstream, medium rock and finally gravel downstream, and then a peat bog of reeds, bullrushes, cattails and lotus plants, the water supposedly can be filtered as well as many mechanical systems, and it produces a beautiful new ecosystem : )
Can anyone refer me to a particular source where I might find plans for such a system? Has anyone here ever done this?
Thanks
Edited 11/16/2009 2:26 pm ET by ditchburns
Replies
what you are describing is a wetland. Wetland construction is big business, your nearest larger city should have contractors that specilize this. Perhaps your county extension office could help. You may have a local wetland board, DEQ, or something.
Do the local farmers need permits for the fertilizer they put down? You may complain to the permitting agencies like.."hey, my property is being polluted!"
"Constructed Wetland"...okay now I know what it's called....thanks...
...as far as regulation; uhhhmmm, there isn't any to speak of. This is rural Kansas...up until the civil war Kansas was Indian Territory...there is very much the attitude here that your land is your land. Very different from my previous state of Pa. where EVERYTHING was regulated, and taxed.
Boss, I think that the rock above the pond, large to small, helps to filter sediment, and also oxygenate the water before it reaches the plants.
"I think that the rock above the pond, large to small, helps to filter sediment"
I'm not sure it would. Forming a pool and stoping the movement of the water would be necessary to let the sediment setle out.
Adding oxygen through turbulence does sound like a good idea though.
If you are good, you will be assigned all the work.
If you are really good, you will get out of it.
Ditchburns,
Local paper had an article about this and a local company that makes a floating treatment mats. Google "constructed wetlands" for sites.
My brother did it for his pond but on a much smaller scale.
KK
Try your lstate health department. Artifical wetlands have been used for years for individual and municiple sewage treatment. Also your department of natural resources may have specific designs that closely fit your needs. If not they will likely design one for you.
In KY the natural resouce dept. health dept. and fish and wildlife all will provide service for us at no cost. Most are entusiastic about doing something out of the ordinary run of the mill stuff.
It is your tax dollar at work.
Get all you can from it.
As mentioned by others, it is called a constructed wetland and there are EPA research document developed for the treatment of municipal waste. Any university civil engineering library should have alot of info on them.
One caution to you. I would not present your situation to any state health or environmental department as you are mucking around in a water source and you may be asking for trouble from these entities that regulate them. In addition the fact that you dumped stone to develop a road across would violate Army Corps of Engineer rules for navigable waterways.
I personally do not have any problems with what you are proposing, I am simply suggesting discretion on your behalf. I used to make a good living resolving these types of issues.
I spent some time in Chanute and Coffeyville working on some projects.
Bruce
Edited 11/16/2009 8:56 pm by Hiker
I wonder if you could simply put a sediment basin above the pond. A lot of the sediment and and stuff would settle out there.
Here is a resource to start with: http://www.kswraps.org/
They may be you best resource to do what you want to do with the creek.
And I would recommend that you do not do anymore work on the creek without understanding the consequences. 404 violations can be bad for one's pocket book.
I think I can say, and say with pride that we have some legislatures that bring higher prices than any in the world. - Mark Twain
Go to Pond Boss and search. If the answers aren't there just ask - lots of knowledgeable people over there.
http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cfrm
Thanks for the link....that's what I was looking for...kind of like a Breaktime for pond owners...awesome!
Edited 11/17/2009 9:55 am ET by ditchburns
No problem.
Great site for pond stuff...
yeah....and lots of good info on pond stocking...which is why I want the water as clean as it can be...I'd like to raise monster bluegills for the kids...
I signed up for a magazine suscription to Pond Boss. Cool : )
I subscribe to the magazine as well.
Good articles and lot's of interesting advertisers.
I helped install a wetlands to treat the septic waste from a 30 unit condo. There were four 12" deep ponds with bulrushes. By the time the water made its way through all four it had no significant coliform. The ponds also became a center for the area's wildlife, attracting birds and birdwatchers.
I would imagine in your situation that the problem would be getting long enough exposure of the effluent when the stream was flowing for the bulrush roots to extract the waste. Typically marshes and constructed wetlands are slow moving almost still water.
>>The ponds also became a center for the area's wildlife, attracting birds and birdwatchers.
I had a wetland treatment installed when I built my inlaws house in 91. Bought several hundred $$ of special aquatic plants. Lots of really pretty blooming stuf because both beds could be seen from the road and were beside the driveway. Filled in some areas with cat tails.
The deer loved the exoitc plants! Inlaws got some beautiful pictures of them. Doe, fawns and a couple of bucks. They thought it was great untill they realized the deer were eating thier $$. Then they waged a kind of passive war to keep them out. Tried all kinds of non-lethal things but nothing worked for long. After a few years the deer left because the cattails took over because the deer had kept enough pressure on the exotics that they couldn't compete for space.
If you like wildlife photography. Wetlands will bring everything within your "click" range.
We had a very similar experience. The wetlands engineer had specified several species of exotic plants which were shipped from nurseries in the southern States. We placed thousands of small rootballs in fist sized clumps of dirt on top of the gravel beds of the ponds - carefully watched by a flock of crows who spent the night assiduously removing each one and leaving it untouched nearby. After repeating the whole thing the next day, by which time the plant roots were looking a bit worn out, the engineer admitted defeat and we borrowed a small skiff and pulled up the bulrushes from a local pond. As you found, other plants have also gained a toehold. Nature abhors a vacuum.
I tried to get a smaller version approved for my own house but they were reluctant, worrying that future owners might not maintain it. That and the engineering fees involved made me settle for a small air bubbler system.
FIL had couple of choices when we built for him. Haul in enough topsoil to put in a standard septic/lateral field, do a septic/lagoon system or the artificial wetland. Cost wise the wetland won over the topsoil and lagoon systems, plus the idea of a "turd pond" behind his house wasn't very appealing.
I've worked on large membrane and sand filter systems, but with both of them you feel like you are trying to get rid of something. With the wetlands it really is a positive way to deal with effluent.
Living in Kansas you should check with your extension agent, if he cant help you he can find someone who will. Plus you cant beet the price.
http://www.ksre.k-state.edu/Map.aspx