The Floating Islands deployed in the Olds College Constructed Wetlands.
Environmental Sustainability
Using Floating Islands to Treat Feedlot Runoff Water Olds College researchers are evaluating the economic and environmental benefits of using native wetland plants and floating island technology to remediate feedlot runoff water. This research aims to effectively improve water quality for irrigation or livestock use by removing nutrients, heavy metals, and other contaminants — as well as minimizing the presence of algae blooms. Feedlot operators could access alternative, low-cost options for treating feedlot runoff water while being environmentally sustainable.
Contamination of surface water and groundwater from nutrient loading is a critical problem within agriculture and urban areas across Alberta and Canada. Feedlot wastewater can contain many different contaminants — such as solid and dissolved organic matter, nutrients, salts and heavy metals — and poses a risk to water supplies if it’s not contained and treated. Emilie Edgar, research technician, tests equipment and gathers data from the feedlot holding pond on campus.
Past research has shown wetland plants are effective in capturing nutrients, but more critical information is needed. Olds College aims to fill that knowledge gap about the effectiveness of various native wetland plant species in removing specific nutrients and other contaminants for successful water remediation in its research project Floating Island Technology for Livestock Water Remediation. This research on floating islands is a progression from previous, controlled environment trials at Olds College that evaluated water remediation using native wetland plants. The 2019 study examined nutrient and contaminant uptake of cattails, wheat sedge, sweet flag, smartweed and water sedge in a controlled, replicated experiment using water artificially dosed with high concentrations of macro nutrients. The results showed that macro nutrient removal was possible from all species with cattails performing the best overall due to its productivity and biomass production.
6 Olds College Horizons
