488-D Ash Basin Vegetative Cover Treatibility Study

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/835125· OSTI ID:835125

Barton, Christopher ^[1]; Marx, Don; Blake, John; Adriano, Domy; Koo, Bon-Jun; Czapka, Stephen

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1. USDA Forest Service, Savannah River

The 488-D Ash Basin is an unlined containment basin that received ash and coal reject material from the operation of a powerhouse at the USDOE's Savannah River Site, SC. They pyretic nature of the coal rejects has resulted in the formation of acidic drainage (AD), which has contributed to groundwater deterioration and threatens biota in down gradient wetlands. Establishment of a vegetative cover was examined as a remedial alternative for reducing AD generation within this system by enhanced utilization of rainwater and subsequent non-point source water pollution control. The low nutrient content, high acidity, and high salinity of the basin material, however, was deleterious to plant survivability. As such, studies to identify suitable plant species and potential adaptations, and pretreatment techniques in the form of amendments, tilling, and/or chemical stabilization were needed. A randomized block design consisting of three subsurface treatments (blocks) and five duplicated surface amendments (treatments) was developed. One hundred inoculated pine trees were planted on each plot. Herbaceous species were also planted on half of the plots in duplicated 1-m2 beds. After two growing seasons, deep ripping, subsurface amendments and surface covers were shown to be essential for the successful establishment of vegetation on the basin. This is the final report of the study.

• Research Organization: USDA Forest Service, Savannah River, New Ellenton, SC
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM)
• DOE Contract Number: AI09-00SR22188
• OSTI ID: 835125
• Report Number(s): na; 03-11-R
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
COAL
CONTAINMENT
DESIGN
DRAINAGE
NUTRIENTS
PH VALUE
PINES
PLANTS
Pisolithus tinctorius
Remediation
SALINITY
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
SEASONS
STABILIZATION
Scleroderma cepa.
TREES
Virginia pine
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
WETLANDS
coal
containment basin
loblolly pine
phytoremediation