Sludge Loading Rates for Forest Land

A mathematical model is developed to evaluate applying municipal wastewater sludges to forest land. The model is used to estimate sludge loading rates that produce steady state nitrate concentrations in percolation that meet water quality standards. Annual loading rates for aerobically and anaerobic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental engineering (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 1992, Vol.118 (2), p.196-208
Main Authors: Haith, D. A, Reynolds, J. E, Landre, P. T, Richard, T. L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Biological and medical sciences
Constrictions
Environment
Forests
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General agronomy. Plant production
Hardwoods
Hydroxyapatite
Land
Magnesium base alloys
Mathematical models
Nitrates
Nitrogen
Other nutrients. Amendments. Solid and liquid wastes. Sludges and slurries
Percolation
Satellite navigation systems
Sludge
Sludge disposal
Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments
Steady state
TECHNICAL PAPERS
Uptakes
Vegetation
Wastewater
Water quality
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Summary:A mathematical model is developed to evaluate applying municipal wastewater sludges to forest land. The model is used to estimate sludge loading rates that produce steady state nitrate concentrations in percolation that meet water quality standards. Annual loading rates for aerobically and anaerobically digested sludges consistent with a 10-mg l standard are computed for conifer and hardwood forests in the eight forest regions of New York. These rates vary from 1.7 to 2.7 Mg ha of dry mass for conifers and from 1.4 to 2.3 Mg ha for hardwoods among the various forest areas, or in terms of sludge nitrogen, 85 to 135 kg ha for conifers and 70 to 115 kg ha for hardwoods. Sludge application rates are sensitive to annual nitrogen uptakes by vegetation, and estimates of these quantities are very uncertain. A geographic information system is used to identify the amount of forest land within each region that meets state regulatory restrictions for sludge disposal. It is determined that sufficient forest land is available to accept large portions of the state's sludge production.
ISSN:0733-9372
1943-7870
DOI:10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(1992)118:2(196)