Wetland Impact on Effluent Water Temperature

Rachel Albertson
Dr. Bob Mahler
11 May 2015

ABSTRACT

For my Senior Project, I studied the effect of the Stateline Wetland on cooling the water
temperature of the effluent from the Moscow Wastewater Treatment Plant. The project included
collecting water temperature measurements from a series of fourteen sample locations
throughout one of the retention basins located in the wetland. In order to collect sufficient data,
the study spanned the course of three months and included hourly temperature measurements
using data logging devices, called hobos. Once all of the data was collected, I performed both a
graphical and statistical analysis on it in order to evaluate if there was a significant cooling effect
on the temperature of the water between the beginning and end of the one hundred and forty foot
retention pond. I created two graphics, the first of which shows the average change in
temperature between the twelve sample points each week of the three month study, and the
second one shows the average change in temperature by month. The statistical analysis was
completed using the Universitys SPSS program in order to perform a two-tailed t-test which
showed whether my data was statistically significant. My anticipated results were that there
would be a significant change in water temperature throughout the wetland; however, this change
would be dependent on the amount of shade the water received from the plants in the wetland.
My results supported my hypothesis for the most part as both graphs showed a decrease in water
temperature from the first sample point to the last one. My t-test showed that the decrease in
water temperature data for all three months was statistically significant. I believe the vegetation
throughout the wetland basin played a key role in the cooling of the water temperature. The
timeline for my project spanned from the start of my research in the Fall of 2014 to writing my
thesis and presenting my poster in May of 2015 in order to fulfill the requirements necessary to
graduate.
INTRODUCTION
1

Wastewater treatment plants are an essential part of any municipality because they
receive all of the used water from the city and perform a series of treatments in order to clean the
water and return it to waterways for future use. Research shows that some treatment plants are
inefficient in monitoring the temperature of their effluent water and elevated temperatures can
have a detrimental effect on riparian habitats (EPA, Claddis). Moscows Wastewater Treatment
Plant has a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System or NPDES permit, which allows
them to discharge their effluent water directly into Paradise Creek. In order to continue to
directly discharge into the creek, the Treatment Plants effluent cannot be more than 2.8 degrees
Celsius above the normal water temperature of the creek (WAC 173-201A-200). During the hot
summer months the Wastewater Treatment Plants effluent is between 20 to 22 degrees Celsius
and the normal temperature of Paradise Creek is between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius. This
elevated temperature is caused as the water as it travels through the treatment facility and
collects in clarification basins, which are exposed to the hot summer sun. Since the treatment
plant has received multiple citations resulting in fines from the EPA and the state of Washington
due to their high effluent temperature, they are trying to find a cost-effective method to cool their
effluent. Instead of discharging their effluent directly into a stream, some wastewater treatment
plants indirectly discharge their effluent into other areas such as injection wells, wetlands,
evaporation ponds, surface spray irrigation, etc. Over time, this water evaporates or seeps
through the ground and returns waterways so there is no limit on the temperature of the effluent.
If Moscows Treatment Plant could find an acceptable method to indirectly discharge their heated
effluent instead of discharging it directly into the stream, then they would no longer have to
worry about their effluent temperature during the summer months. The WTPs adopted solution
was to utilize the Stateline Wetlands, which are located just downstream from the Wastewater

Treatment Plant. This is cost-effective because they do not need to build any new structures and
instead can utilize the already existing wetlands as a source for cooling their effluent.
Wetlands are an area of land where saturation with water is the dominant factor in
determining the nature of the soil and the type of vegetation and animal communities that inhabit
the area (Definition; EPA, water). These wetlands are important places of refuge for wildlife and
greatly increase the level of biodiversity in the surrounding area. Studies have shown that the
vegetation in wetlands can be instrumental in helping to cool water temperature during hot
summer months (Beutel 1978). Little research has been done in Moscow to determine the impact
of wetlands on the temperature of treated wastewater. It is important for this type of information
to become available so that the Wastewater Treatment Plant could better understand a possible
solution to their water temperature problem and decide on a solution.
Based on literature review, as well as personal knowledge gained from my years spent at
the University of Idaho, I would like to do my Senior Research Project on observing the effect of
the Stateline Wetlands on cooling the effluent water temperature from the Wastewater Treatment
Plant. The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of the wetlands on the temperature of
the effluent flow generated in order to provide more information to the treatment plant about a
possible alternative discharge option during the summer.

METHODS

The Stateline Wetland is located just west of the Wastewater Treatment Plant, which sits
on the western edge of the City of Moscow. The wetland is specifically called the Stateline
Wetland because it is right on the state line between Idaho and Washington. It consists of six
140 foot long rectangular basins in two rows of three, which can be filled with water to create a
riparian habitat. In order to obtain the best measurement of water temperature, the effluent water
from the treatment plant was discharged into the southern basin in the first row through a pvc
pipe on the south side of the basin so it is not traveling as far from the WTP and potentially
cooling the water temperature in the process. To achieve an adequate data collection of
temperature, there were seven sample sites on the north side of the basin and seven on the south
side, directly across the basin from the samples sites on the north side. Each sample site along
each side of the basin was twenty feet apart, spanning the entire one hundred and forty feet of the
basin. This provided a total of fourteen sample sites from which temperature readings were
taken.
To collect the temperature measurements, data logging devices called hobos were used. A
data logger is a device that records measurements, like temperature, at a set interval and then can
be plugged into a computer or other device to upload the recorded measurements. For this
project, the water treatment plant purchased fourteen hobo devices and programmed them to take
a temperature reading, in degrees Celsius, every hour. A weight and chain attached to each hobo
ensured that they remained in the correct sample spot and did not drift away. Every Tuesday, the
hobos were pulled out and plugged into a laptop and all of the data was transferred from the
device to the computer. Then the hobo was reset and returned to its sample spot in the basin to
take hourly readings for the next week. This process was repeated for all fourteen of the hobo

devices. The study spanned over three months in order to obtain hourly, weekly and monthly
averages of water temperature throughout the basin.
To analyze the data, I performed both a descriptive and a statistical analysis. The
descriptive analysis was based on means, variability and graphics. I calculated the daily, weekly
and monthly mean temperature at each of the sample points throughout the wetland basin to
determine if there was a cooling effect on the water temperature as it moved further down the
basin. When beginning to think about how to analyze the data, I encountered great uncertainty in
how to best represent the huge data set. Overall, there were approximately 28,220 temperature
readings, which was a great sample set, but also overwhelming to try to evaluate. In order to
keep things clear and concise, I averaged the temperature between the north and south
counterparts of a single sample location. Since each sample point on the north side of the basin
was directly opposite from its counterpart sample point on the south side and only about twenty
feet apart, there was very little variation in temperature between the two sample spots. Another
difficulty I encountered was trying to decide the best way to graphically show what was
happening to the water temperature in the wetland. Since I had locations, hourly temperatures,
daily temperatures, weekly temperatures and monthly temperatures, there were several different
ways that I could graphically analyze the data. In the end I created three tables: one with daily
averages, a second with weekly averages, and the third with monthly averages in each of the
seven sample locations. From these tables I created two graphs: one that showed the average
change is water temperature between sample points for each week and a second that showed the
average change in water temperature for each month. I did not create a graph of daily
temperatures as this would be too crowded to be a beneficial asset to my results. The axis of both
my graphs show the Sample Location vs. the Change in Temperature.
5

The statistical analysis was focused on testing the significance of the daily water
temperatures through the basin. I used the Universitys SPSS in order to perform a t-test to
determine if there was a significant decrease in water temperature between the sample point at
the beginning of the wetland and the one at the end. If the difference between these two numbers
was positive than a decline in water temperature had taken place; however, if this number was
negative or zero then the temperature had increased or remained the same, respectively. If the
water temperature had declined between the first and last sample point, this test also helped me
to determine if this decrease was great enough to be considered statistically significant. My
decision criteria was based on if my t-test showed a significance close to zero and if the
graphical analysis displayed a negative correlation between distance through wetland and water
temperature, then it would support the claim that wetlands can be beneficial in cooling water
temperature.
The main software used for my project was Excel, which is where all of the data was
uploaded to every Tuesday when the Hobo device was plugged into the laptop. I also used Excel
to obtain averages of the temperature measurements as it was easy to write a formula to average
the data between the north and south points for each day. Once I had my daily averages in a
tables, I wrote a formula to group the daily averages from each week into one weekly average
and put these values into a separate table. The same process was used to obtain monthly averages
for July, August and September. My graphical representations and statistical analysis were also
completed using Excel as well as several statistic sites, since I am not proficient with statistical
analyses.

RESULTS
6

Figure 1 displays my graphical representation of the average temperature change by

month. This shows a significant decline in water temperature for both August and September, but
July was more difficult to discern as the line looked mostly straight. This graph is the best visual
display of what was occurring with the water temperature on a by month basis.

Figure 1

Average Temperature by Month

23
21
19
17

Temperature (F)

July
August

15

September

13
11
9
7
W5

W6

W7

W8

W9

W10

W11

W12

Figure 2 is a graph displaying weekly average water temperatures at each of the sample
points. It shows very little variation in water temperature between the sample locations for the
first few weeks the study was conducted, but in the later weeks, there was a noticeable difference
in temperature between the beginning and end points. It is possible to see from Figure 2 that the
water temperature difference was greatest towards the end of the study and also that the first
sample point in the basin, W5, consistently had the warmest water temperature while the last
sample point I the basin, W12, had the coolest water temperature. This graphical representation
aligns itself with my anticipated results. Overall, the average decline in water temperature from
the beginning to the end of the wetland was 7 degrees Celsius.

Figure 2

Weekly Average Temperatures

24.00
22.00

W5
W6

20.00

W7
W8

18.00

Temperature (F)

W9
16.00

W10
W11

14.00

W12

12.00
10.00

41842 41856 41870 41884 41898 41912

41835 41849 41863 41877 41891 41905

The statistical analysis surprised me in part because it showed that the change in water
temperature in July was statistically significant, although not as strongly correlated as August
and September. I did not expect there to be any significant change in water temperature in July so
I found this interesting.

July

August

September

DISCUSSION
As I predicted in my anticipated results, the difference in water temperature throughout
the wetland basin was greatest in September towards the end of the study and smallest in July, at
the beginning of the study. However, contrary to my prediction that there would not be a
statistically significant difference in water temperature in July due to the minimal amount of
plants, my statistical analysis showed that the difference in water temperature throughout the
wetland basin for July was statistically significant. I maintain my hypothesis that as the plants
grow larger due to the influx of water, there will be a larger decline in water temperature due to
the increase in shade over the water. The change in July could be explained by the fact that there
were still plants present at that time, even if they were minimal. So the water was still receiving a
small amount of shade from the hot July sun as it moved through the wetland. There were
multiple photos taken of the plants in the wetland basin throughout August and September and
measurements of plant height were also recorded in order to document their growth. Most of the
plants experienced a growth of around ten inches from the beginning of August to the end of
September. The increased height and amount of plants growing in the wetland basin is the single
most obvious explanation for the increased decline in water temperature through the wetland as
the study progressed. There were no other known factors that could have caused such a
significant difference in the water temperature recorded between the beginning and end of the
wetland basin. However, I did not evaluate the air temperature on each given day, a factor that
could provide future research in order to evaluate the impact that nighttime cooling, or daily
temperature variations play in the temperature change of the water.

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CONCLUSION
Over the course of this project, there was found to be a significant decline in the
temperature of the water as it moved through the wetland. It would be necessary to have a
significant amount of plants present in order to provide the shade necessary to decrease the water
temperature by several degrees. When full vegetation was present, there was a temperature drop
of six to seven degrees, which is a significant decline and would keep the Wastewater Treatment
Plant from receiving any violations. This kind of a diversion from the Wastewater Treatment
Plants usual discharge methods would only be necessary in the hot summer months when the
effluent temperature is above DEQ standards. Since it is only necessary during the summer, the
Wastewater Treatment Plant would begin siphoning water into the wetland in April or May so
that by the time the summer heat it, the plants would be tall and dense enough to provide the
shade needed to cool the water temperature several degrees. In conclusion, when vegetation was
present, the Stateline Wetlands proved to be a successful method for cooling the temperature of
the effluent water from the Moscow Wastewater Treatment Plant.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to recognize the following people who have made this project possible.
Without their valued input and guidance, I would still be in stage one of my Senior Project.
-

Todd Swanstrom, Moscow Wastewater Treatment Plant

Kyle Woodland, Moscow Wastewater Treatment Plant
Dr. Erin Brooks, Faculty Advisor (Semester I)
Dr. Bob Mahler, Faculty Advisor (Semester II)
Dr. Jackie Maximillian, Senior Capstone Advisor
University of Idaho Statistics & Testing Center
Todd & Lana Albertson, Project Benefactors

LITERATURE CITED

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"Analysis of Variance." Anova. Explorable, 6 June 2009. Web. 05 Nov. 2014.

<https://explorable.com/anova>.
Beutel, Marc W. "Water Quality in a Surface Flow Wetland Polishing Effluent from a Municipal
Wastewater Treatment Plant." Water Science and Technology 66.9 (2012): 1977-1983.
Web of Science. Web. 7 Oct. 2014.
Dixon, K. R., and J. A. Kadlec. "A Model for Predicting the Effects of Sewage Effluent on
Wetland Ecosystems." National Technical Information Service (1975): n. pag. Water
Resources. Web. 6 Oct. 2014.
Fresh Water Designated Uses and Criteria." WAC 173-201A-200:. Washington State Legislature,
n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.
"Hobo Frequently Asked Questions." Gempler's. Ariens Speciality Brands, LLC., 2014. Web. 4
Nov. 2014. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gemplers.com%2Ftech%2Fhobo-faq.htm>.
Liu, Gang Jin, Dan Zheng, and Liang Wei Deng. "Comparison of Constructed Wetland and
Stabilization Pond for the Treatment of Digested Effluent of Swine Wastewater."
Environmental Techonology 35.21 (2014): 2660-669. GreenFILE. Web. 6 Oct. 2014.
McDonald, Bruce. "Test Validity - Standard Deviation." Test Validity. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov.
2014.
<http://www.gla.ac.uk/sums/users/bruce_mcdonald/employee_selection/stdev2.html>.
McLaughlin, Daniel L., and Matthew J. Cohen. "Wetland Hydrologie Function Along an
Ecosystem." Ecological Applications 23.7 (2013): 1619-631. GreenFILE. Web. 6 Oct.
2014.
Reeder, Brian C. "Assessing Constructed Wetland Functional Success Using Diel Changes in
Dissolved Oxygen, PH, and Temperature in Submerged, Emergent, and Open-water
Habitats." Ecological Engineering 37.11 (2011): 1772-778. Environmental Sciences and
Pollution Management. Web. 6 Oct. 2014.
Silvan, N., H. Vasander, and J. Laine. "Vegetation Is the Main Factor in Nutrient Retention in a
Constructed Wetland Buffer." Plant and Soil 258.1 (2004): 179-87. Environmental
Sciences and Pollution Management. Web. 7 Oct. 2014.
Stefanakis, A. I., and V. A. Tsihrintzis. "Effect of Outlet Water Level Raising and Effluent
Recirculation on Removal Efficiency of Pilot-scale, Horizontal Subsurface Flow
Constructed Wetlands." Desalination 248.1-3 (2009): 961-76. Environmental Sciences
and Pollution Management. Web. 7 Oct. 2014.

13

Swanstrom, Todd. "Wastewater Treatment Plant FAQ." Wastewater Treatment Plant. City of
Moscow, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2014.
"Temperature - Introduction | CADDIS: Sources, Stressors & Responses | US EPA." EPA.
Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.
"T-Tests. P-Values and Statistical Significance." Math Forum. Drexel, 19 Mar. 2004. Web. 05
Nov. 2014.
University of Idaho Statistics Center. 2 Mar. 2015. Statistical Help Center. Brink Hall - U of I,
Moscow.
Veronika, Holcova, Sima Jan, and Edwards Keith. "The Effect of Macrophytes on Retention
Times in a Wetland with Wastewater Treatment." International Journal of Sustainable
Development and World Ecology 16.5 (2009): 362-67. Web of Science. Web. 7 Oct. 2014.
"Wastewater Treatment at the Houghton Lake Wetland: Temperatures and the Energy Balance."
Ecological Engineering. 9th ed. Vol. 35. N.p.: Elsevier, 2009. 1349-356. Print.
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2014.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX I: Map of study area

14

APPENDIX II: Diagram of HOBO device

APPENDIX III: Table of vegetation growth
APPENDIX IV: Pictures of vegetation

APPENDIX I

15

APPENDIX II

16

Photo of HOBO device as seen by the naked eye

Diagram of the mechanics of a HOBO data logging device

APPENDIX III

17

Date
5 Aug. 2014
12 Aug 2014
19 Aug 2014
26 Aug 2014
2 Sept 2014
9 Sept 2014
16 Sept 2014
23 Sept 2014
30 Sept 2014

Grass [height inches]

28
32
35
35
35
35
35
36
36

Cat-Tail [inches]
72
80
80
80
82
85
85
85
85

APPENDIX IV
08/05/14

18

Bullwhip [inches]
77
80
80
80
83
85
86
89
89

Photo Credit:
MWTP

08/19/14

Photo Credit:
MWTP

Visual Display of Water Depth 08/26/14

19

Photo Credit:
MWTP

09/09/14

Photo Credit:
MWTP

20

09/23/14

Photo Credit:
MWTP

Last Photo Taken 09/30/14

Photo Credit:
MWTP

21