Water Stewardship Information Sources
| Citation | Barlak, RR. Et al. 2011. Trent River pulsed discharge study. BC Ministry of Environment. |
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| Organization | Ministry of Environment |
| URL | http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wat/wq/trent/trent-river-pulsed-discharge-study-dec11.pdf |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords | The lower reaches of the Trent River are exposed to very high phosphorous loading from the Village of Cumberland (VOC) Sewage Treatment Plant. As a result, in the summer months, problematic levels of algal biomass can accumulate in the river. In an attempt to reduce these impacts, the British Columbia Ministry of Environment and the VOC joined in partnership to conduct an experimental pulsed discharge study on the Trent. During the summer of 2005, pulses were scheduled to potentially limit discharge presence in the Trent River to evening/night. Theoretically algal uptake of phosphorous would then be reduced and algal biomass in the river would decrease. At the same time, collection of nutrient data downstream was intended to give a more accurate estimate of travel time in the river. The study was in addition to the Liquid Waste Management planning process being undertaken by the VOC. Due to underestimations in late summer travel time in the system and biological interactions of nutrients, the 2005 season was largely inconclusive in regards to the potential success of the project or travel times. Data suggested success of the pulse was primarily dependent on the travel time in Maple Lake Creek. To more accurately determine travel time as flows change throughout the summer, dye testing was implemented in the summer of 2006 through an additional partnership with the University of British Columbia. Low recovery rate of the dye suggested that a large amount of hyporheic exchange and interaction with groundwater occurs in the system. Early summer travel time in Maple Lake Creek was found to be greater than 5 days, largely due to the presence of at least one large beaver dam in the system. This indicated that, before even passing through the Trent River, the pulse dispersion was far greater than the 12 hours required to limit the pulse to evening/night. Dye testing and intensive sampling was thus terminated early in the 2006 season; water quality data collection continued by VOC in order to obtain a full data set for use in the Liquid Waste Management planning process. |
| Information Type | report |
| Regional Watershed | Vancouver Island North |
| Sub-watershed if known | Trent River |
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| Comments | |
| Project status | complete |
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