Plant materials and amendments for controlling wind and water erosion on a fly ash disposal area: TVA Colbert Fossil Plant, Alabama
Fly ash disposal sites adjacent to fossil fueled generating plants are subject to wind and water erosion which increases the operation and maintenance costs. Gullies and unstable areas in the disposal sites require expensive leveling and filling practices. Test evaluated both warm- and cool-season cover crops established by either sod or seed. Amendments to the ash consisted of composted poultry litter (CPL), soil, soil+CPL, fertilizer and beneficial soil microbes including mycorrhizal fungi. Turf sods (419 Bermuda, Emerald zoysia, and Raleigh St. Augustine) were compared in greenhouse and field studies. Six legumes and 12 grass species were tested in the greenhouse as seeded cover crops using similar amendments and raw poultry litter (PL). Legumes grew better with CPL and Boil amendments and grasses grew better on PL and soil amendments possibly due to differences in N requirements and N supply. Cool season crops generally grew faster than warm season species in the greenhouse tests. Amendments should be mixed with the FA to ameliorate the effects of boron and salt toxicity and to increase the water holding capacity. Bermuda sod grew faster than either St, Augustine or Emerald zoysia, but requires more water. A microbial amendment increased dry matter yields of bermuda sod 2 to 3 times after 40 to 60 days over unamended controls. Microbial amendments may be justified on an economic and sustainable basis. A field study is assessing the environmental and cultural requirements to grow a cover crop on an annual basis.
- OSTI ID:
- 588885
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9605286-; TRN: 98:001296-0074
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 13. annual meeting of the American Society for Surface Mining and Reclamation (ASSMR), Knoxville, TN (United States), 18-23 May 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of Successes and failures: Applying research results to insure reclamation success; Daniels, W.L.; Burger, J.A.; Zipper, C.E. [Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (United States). Depts. of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences and Forestry] [eds.]; PB: 889 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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