Nitrate removal in surface-flow constructed wetlands treating dilute agricultural runoff in the lower Yakima Basin, Washington

Constructed treatment wetlands (CTWs) have been used effectively to treat a range of wastewaters and non-point sources contaminated with nitrogen(N). But documented long-term case studies of CTWs treating dilute nitrate-dominated agricultural runoff are limited. This study presents an analysis of four years of water quality data for a 1.6-ha surface-flow CTW treating irrigation return flows in Yakima Basin in central Washington. The CTW consisted of a sedimentation basin followed by two surface-flow wetlands in parallel, each with three cells. Inflow typically contained 1-3 mg-N/L nitrate and <0.4 mg-N/L total Kjeldahl N (TKN). Hydraulic loading was fairly constant, ranging from around 125 cm/d in the sedimentation basin to 12 cm/d in the treatment wetlands. Concentration removal efficiencies for nitrate averaged 34% in the sedimentation basin and 90-93% in the treatment wetlands. Total IN removal efficiencies averaged 21% and 57-63% in the sedimentation basin and treatment wetlands, respectively. Area-based first-order removal rate constants for nitrate in the wetlands averaged 142-149 m/yr. Areal removal rates for nitrate in treatment wetlands averaged 139-146 mg-N/m(2)/d. Outflow from the CTW typically contained <0.1 mg-N/L nitrate and <0.6 mg-N/L TKN. Rates of nitrate loss in wetlands were highly seasonal, generally peaking in the summer months (June-August). Nitrate loss rates also correlated significantly with water temperature (positively) and dissolved oxygen (negatively). Based on the modified Arrhenius relationship, 0 for nitrate loss in the wetlands was 1.05-1.09. The CTW also significantly affected temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration in waters flowing through the system. On average, the sedimentation basin caused an increase in temperature (+1.7 degrees C) and dissolved oxygen (+1.5 mg/L); in contrast the wetlands caused a decrease in temperature (-1.6 degrees C) and dissolved oxygen (-5.0mg/L). Results show that CTWs with surface-flow wetlands can be extremely effective at polishing dilute non-point sources, particularly in semi-arid environments where warm temperatures and low oxygen levels in treatment wetland water promote biological denitrification. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.