Reclaiming Water
What biological effects could reclaimed water have if it is discharged to wetlands? Herrera will answer this question after conducting biological monitoring for the proposed Kingston Wastewater Treatment reclaimed water project. In order to be constructed, this type of project must follow sampling protocols set forth by the Washington State Department of Ecology. The anticipated benefits of discharging reclaimed water to wetlands are an increased water budget higher in the watershed, and an added level of “polishing” of water before it reaches larger receiving waters, such as the Puget Sound.
Currently, Herrera is gathering baseline data in each wetland regarding existing species diversity and percentage cover for tree, shrub, and emergent vegetation. Habitat suitability and presence of amphibians, macroinvertebrates, fish, and wetland-dependent birds are also being documented. Herrera is evaluating whether water temperature, water quality, and/or the quantity of water entering wetlands could affect (positively or negatively) biological conditions. If the project is determined to be feasible and proceeds to discharge reclaimed water to the wetlands, Herrera will monitor wetland vegetation, habitat, and species presence for changes. This new way of looking at reclaimed wastewater is exciting, mainly because it provides another way we can improve water quality in Puget Sound!
Written by: Darcey Miller, Project Ecologist. Darcey is a project ecologist with 9 years of experience specializing in wetland and stream analysis and environmental permit coordination.