Effects of open water on the performance of a constructed wetland for nonpoint source pollution control.

The seasonal performance of four differently configured constructed wetland systems was compared for the treatment efficiency of nonpoint source pollution. Dead plants in the constructed wetlands increased the nitrogen removal rate during winter by providing organic carbon, which is essential for the denitrification process. However, when the wetlands released phosphorus from the dead plants, the removal rate of phosphorus decreased. After seven growing seasons, plant coverage was nearly 100%, and the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration was lowered to 1.3-5.4 mg/L. Open-water sections were then constructed inside the wetlands, which resulted in enhanced DO concentrations as well as improved treatment efficiency of nutrients and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). Overall, performance of the constructed wetland was improved BOD, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus with the establishment of open water sections in the constructed wetland system.

Integrated modelling under uncertainty in watershed-level assessment and management.

Uncertainty in water quality model predictions is inevitably high due to natural stochasticity, model uncertainty, and parameter uncertainty. An integrated modelling system (modified-BASINS) under uncertainty is described and demonstrated for use in receiving-water quality prediction and watershed management. A Monte Carlo simulation was used to investigate the effect of various uncertainty types on output prediction. Without pollution control measures in the watershed, the concentrations of total nitrogen (T-N) and total phosphorus (T-P) in the Hwaong Reservoir, considering three uncertainty types, would be less than about 4.4 and 0.23 mg L(-1), respectively, in 2012, with 90% confidence. The effects of two watershed management practices, wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and constructed wetlands (WETLAND), were evaluated. The combined scenario (WWTP + WETLAND) was the most effective at improving reservoir water quality, bringing concentrations of T-N and T-P in the Hwaong Reservoir to less than 3.4 and 0.14 mg L(-1), 24 and 41% improvements, respectively, with 90% confidence. Overall, the Monte Carlo simulation in the integrated modelling system was practical for estimating uncertainty and reliable in water quality prediction. The approach described here may allow decisions to be made based on the probability and level of risk, and its application is recommended.

HSPF-Paddy simulation of water flow and quality for the Saemangeum watershed in Korea.

The Hydrological Simulation Program-FORTRAN (HSPF) is a comprehensive model that was developed to simulate many processes related to water flow and quality in watersheds of almost any size and complexity. Paddy rice fields often dominate extensive portions of the landscape in the Asian monsoon region. The hydrological and environmental conditions of paddy fields differ somewhat from those of other land uses, and HSPF may not adequately simulate watersheds in paddy farming regions. HSPF was previously modified to HSPF-Paddy; here, we examined the applicability of the modified model. The model was applied to simulate the water flow and quality of the Saemangeum watershed (2523 km2) in Korea, where paddy rice fields comprise about one-third of the total watershed area. Long-term monitoring data (5 years for water flow, 10 years for water quality) were used in the calibration and verification processes. Model performance was in the range of "very good" and "good" based on model efficiency (R2) and percent difference. The accuracy of the daily simulation was lower than that of monthly simulation for water flow. The water-quality simulation results were encouraging for this sizable watershed with mixed land uses; HSPF-Paddy proved adequate, and its application is recommended to simulate watershed processes in paddy farming regions.

Characteristics of indicator microorganisms in paddy rice plots after reclaimed water irrigation.

A study was performed to examine the effects of reclaimed-water irrigation on microorganism concentration in the ponded-water of paddy rice plots. Several treatments were used and each one was triplicated to evaluate the change of indicator microorganisms (total coliforms (TC), faecal coliforms (FC), and E. coli) concentrations in 2003 and 2004 growing seasons. Their concentrations increased significantly after irrigation, but decreased by approximately 45% in 24 h. It implies that agricultural activities such as ploughing and fertilising need to be practiced one or two days after irrigation, considering health risks. Treatments with UV-disinfected water irrigation, demonstrated significantly lower concentrations than others, including control plots where natural water was irrigated. The monitoring result from actual paddy rice fields and experimental paddy plots showed that concentrations of indicator microorganisms ranged from 10(2) to 10(5) MPN/100 mL. The field scale water reuse research project is in progress and national guidelines for reclaimed-water irrigation are under preparation in Korea. A comprehensive assessment of existing agricultural practices and a thorough monitoring in the fields as well as treatment plots are recommended to make national guidelines more representative.

Feasibility of a constructed wetland and wastewater stabilisation pond system as a sewage reclamation system for agricultural reuse in a decentralised rural area.

The performance of a constructed wetland (CW) and wastewater stabilisation pond (WSP) system for sewage reclamation and paddy rice irrigation in a decentralised rural area was examined using a feasibility study. The CW was satisfactory for sewage treatment, with good removal efficiency even in the winter period, but the effluent concentration was relatively high in the winter period owing to the high influent concentration. The CW effluent was further treated in a WSP and the WSP effluent was considered safe for crop irrigation with respect to sewage-borne pathogens. Reclaimed water irrigation did not adversely affect the yield of rice; on the contrary, it resulted in an approximately 50% greater yield than in controls. The chemical characteristics of the soil did not change significantly during the experimental period of irrigation with reclaimed water. In the winter, CW effluent could be stored and treated in a WSP until the spring; the water could then be discharged or reused for supplemental irrigation during the typical Korean spring drought. Overall, sewage treatment and agronomic reuse using a CW-WSP system could be a practical integrated sewage management measure for protecting receiving water bodies and overcoming water shortages in decentralised rural areas.

Water quality modeling to evaluate BMPs in rice paddies.

A water quality model applicable to rice paddies was developed using field data from 1999-2002. Use of the Dirac delta function efficiently explained the nutrient-concentration characteristics of ponded water. The model results agreed reasonably well with the observed data. The ponded-water quality was influenced primarily by fertilization; nutrient concentration was especially high during early cultivation periods. Reducing surface drainage during the fertilization period may substantially reduce nonpoint source loading from paddies. Increased weir heights and shallow irrigation methods were evaluated by the model as practical methods for reducing nutrient loading from paddies. These methods were effective in reducing surface drainage and are suggested as "best management practices" (BMPs) if applied based on site-specific paddy conditions.

Evaluation of BASINS/WinHSPF applicability for pollutant loading estimation for a Korean watershed.

Applicability of a widely accepted watershed-based water quality assessment tool (BASINS) and its associated watershed model (WinHSPF) was evaluated on the Seamangeum watershed in Korea. The study site is the largest polder project area in Korea and its environmental quality has been debated for the last five years. BASINS was found to be a convenient and powerful tool for assessment of watershed characteristics, and provided various tools to delineate the watershed into land segments and river reaches, reclassify land use, and parameterize for WinHSPF simulation. Calibration results were satisfactory showing model efficiency over 0.80 for stream flow, temperature, and dissolved oxygen simulation, and model output for water quality constituents also reasonably matched the observed data. It was demonstrated that calibration with dry-day data for a relatively long period might be adequate to simulate hydrologic characteristics and water quality of the watershed with WinHSPF, and using parameters generated with BASINS for nonpoint source pollution simulation is suggested when enough wet-day monitoring data are not available. The unit-area load of biochemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus was 27.8, 48.2, and 4.3 kg/ha/yr, respectively. These values are within the expected range but on the high side of the reported values, which implies that effective control measures are required to protect water quality of the downstream reservoir. Overall, BASINS/WinHSPF was applicable and found to be a powerful tool in pollutant loading estimation from the watershed, and its use in Korea is recommended.

Mass balance analysis and water quality model development for loading estimates from paddy fields.

Mass balance analysis and water quality model development for paddy field were performed using field experimental data during 2001-2002. About half (47-62%) of the total outflow was lost by surface drainage, with the remainder (490-530 mm) occurring by evapotranspiration. Most of nutrient inflow and outflow were mediated by fertilization and plant uptake, respectively. Nutrient outflow by surface drainage runoff was substantial about 15%-29% for T-N and 6%-13% for T-P. However, the responses of yield and drainage outflow to fertilization were not significant in this study. A water quality model applicable to paddy fields was developed and it demonstrates good agreement with observed data. The nutrient concentration of ponded water was high by fertilization at early culture periods, so reducing surface drainage during fertilization period can reduce nutrient loading from paddy fields. Shallow irrigation, raising the weir height in diked rice fields, and minimizing forced surface drainage are suggested to reduce surface drainage outflow.

Feasibility study of a constructed wetland for sewage treatment in a Korean rural community.

A pilot study was performed to examine the feasibility of using a constructed wetland system for treatment of sewage in a Korean rural community. The treatment system was a subsurface flow wetland with a loading rate and hydraulic residence time of 6.3 cm/day and 3.5 days, respectively. The wetland system was highly effective in treating the sewage; median removal efficiencies of BOD5 (biological oxygen demand) and TSS (total suspended solids) were about 70.0%, with median effluent concentrations of 24 and 13 mg/L, respectively, for these constituents. However, BOD5 and TSS did often exceed the effluent water quality standards of 20 mg/L. Removal of TN (total nitrogen) and TP (total phosphorus) was relatively less effective and median effluent concentrations were approximately 81 and 8 mg/L, respectively. The treatment system did not experience any clogging or accumulation of organic and inorganic solids during the study, and during winter a substantial amount of removal of BOD5 and TSS continued to occur. Overall, the constructed wetland was judged to be an effective sewage treatment system, but not sufficient by itself to attain regional water quality standards. Therefore, treatment of rural sewage by a wetland system should be followed by another process such as use of the effluent for irrigation of agricultural crops (e.g., rice).

Feasibility study of treated sewage irrigation on paddy rice culture.

A feasibility study was performed to examine the agronomic application of the treated sewage on paddy rice culture through field experiment. The domestic sewage was treated using a constructed wetland system, a subsurface flow type consisting of sand and macrophyte. The effluent of the wetland system was diluted to maintain the total nitrogen concentration below 25 mg/L and was used as irrigation water. Addition of the treated sewage to the irrigation water showed no adverse effect on the paddy rice culture; in fact some enhancement was noticed in both growth and yield. Irrigation with the treated sewage after the concentration was adjusted accompanied by conventional fertilization showed a better result, with the yield exceeding that of the control where clean water was used, thus suggesting that reuse of the treated sewage as supplemental irrigation water could be a feasible and practical alternative. For a full-scale application, however, further study is recommended on the specific guideline for controlling the major water quality components in the treated sewage.