Iron Enhanced Rain Garden
Faculty Sponsor
Zuhdi Aljobeh
College
Engineering
Discipline(s)
Civil Engineering
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Symposium Date
Summer 2016
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to modify current rain garden designs to better reduce phosphorus levels in stormwater. The problem with current implemented rain gardens is the high levels of phosphorus in the effluent (outflow water). High phosphorus leads to a rise in algae blooms in nearby water bodies that lead to unhealthy ecosystems. The proposed solution is to use iron shavings to absorb excess phosphorus. The design is being adapted from previous research involving iron. The iron is dispersed in a layer of sand and is implemented as a layer in the rain garden. The effluent of the iron enhanced rain garden will be compared with the effluent of a control rain garden which simulates the current design. The comparison will be used to test the feasibility of using iron shavings as a means to reduce phosphorus levels. The goal of this research is to confirm previous results and to begin the modeling process to simulate the chemical reactions taking place in each of the layers of the rain garden.
Recommended Citation
Valliere, Rebecca F., "Iron Enhanced Rain Garden" (2016). Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 580.
https://scholar.valpo.edu/cus/580
