InitialInitial SuccessSuccess inin DesignDesign andand ModelingModeling ofof aa LandfillLandfill CoverCover usingusing SalixSalix onon thethe SolvaySolvay WasteWaste BedsBeds inin Syracuse,Syracuse, NYNY

Presented at the Third International Phytotechnologies Conference April 20-22, 2005 Atlanta, GA

D. Daley1, T. Volk2, A. Johnson1, J. Mirck2, L. Abrahamson2

1 Faculty of Environmental Resources and Forest Engineering 2 Faculty of Forest and Natural Resources Management State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210 www.esf.edu PresentationPresentation OutlineOutline

„ SiteSite historyhistory „ ProjectProject goalgoal andand objectivesobjectives „ VegetationVegetation selectionselection andand managementmanagement „ ModelModel selectionselection andand calibrationcalibration „ SummarySummary SiteSite HistoryHistory

„ Soda ash manufacturing using the Solvay process (1887 – 1986) „ Raw materials locally available „ limestone, brine (NaCl) and water „ 1907 – Solvay began operation of settling basins along Onondaga Lake „ Process residues discharged as a slurry (5% solids) Solvay Process Company Facility and Erie Canal, early 1900s SiteSite LocationLocation

O n o n d a g a

La ke

Syracuse, NY

N 43o 04’ 26” W 076o 14’ 58” SolvaySolvay ProcessProcess ResiduesResidues

„ WasteWaste BedsBeds 99 toto 1515 „ 15 to 21 m deep „ 270 ha (662 acres) „ Primarily a non-hazardous mixture of calcium, magnesium and sodium compounds „ Stressful growing conditions in shallow soil (<1m depth) „ pH (8.0 – 12.3) „ Electrical conductivity (0.5 – 9.2 dS/m) „ Organic matter (0 - 3.9%) WasteWaste BedsBeds 1313 -- 1515 ProjectProject GoalGoal andand ObjectivesObjectives

• Determine the feasibility • Evaluate the feasibility of of using willow shrubs as large-scale willow biomass crop production on the part of a multipurpose crop production on the part of a multipurpose waste beds. landfill closure project. • Determine the value of the • Screen varieties suitable for willow biomass crops for wastebed environment. green fuel, bioproducts and • Evaluate transpiration by recreation. willow shrubs. • Model the effect of evapotranspiration on leachate generation. WillowWillow BiomassBiomass CropCrop ManagementManagement ChallengesChallenges

„ Water: „ Select willow varieties that are productive on this site „ Promote evaporation and transpiration to decrease deep percolation (leachate generation) „ Vegetation interception „ Low water use efficiency „ Planting density and design „ Understory vegetation management „ Soils: „ Overcome harsh growing conditions „ Incorporate organic matter to : „ Enhance survival, growth and productivity „ Improve soil water availability and capacity „ Provide long-term beneficial use option for genergeneratorsators of biosolids and organic mulch VegetationVegetation SelectionSelection

„ WhyWhy willow?willow? „ one of the first woody species to establish naturally „ tolerant of harsh conditions „ high transpiration rates „ high growth rates „ genetic diversity

Naturally established willow and poplar on the Solvay waste beds. GreenhouseGreenhouse ScreeningScreening TrialsTrials

„ Screened 40 varieties of willow and hybrid poplar from SUNY-ESF collection „ Used biosolids amended waste, unamended waste and a control „ Used aboveground and belowground growth results to select 10 varieties to test in field Greenhouse screening trial of 40 willow trials and hybrid poplar varieties. GrowthGrowth andand YieldYield TrialsTrials

„ TwoTwo plotsplots (2004)(2004) „ biosolids-amended (1986) „ unamended waste „ TwoTwo cuttingcutting lengthslengths (25(25 andand 5050 cm)cm) „ PlantingPlanting densitydensity „ 15,000/ha (6,000/ac) First-year growth of willow on biosolids-amended Solvay waste FirstFirst--yearyear SurvivalSurvival ofof WillowWillow onon BiosolidsBiosolids--amendedamended SolvaySolvay WasteWaste

120 25 cm 50 cm

100

80 80.1% survival on unamended 60 waste (Field 2)

Survival (%) 40

20

0 6 77 3 6 1 65 V1 61 64 01-6 37- 70-2 71-2 71-3 S 3 S SX SX 981 98 98 98 98 Salix varieties FirstFirst YearYear GrowthGrowth ofof WillowWillow onon BiosolidsBiosolids--amendedamended SolvaySolvay WasteWaste

100 25 cm 50 cm 80 t) lo /p 2 60

40

Basal area (cm 20 Average basal area on Field 2 0 (unamended waste) 66 77 23 26 31 65 V1 61 64 01- 37- 70- 71- 71- S 3 S SX SX 981 98 98 98 98 (1.2 cm2/plot) Salix varieties ConceptualConceptual HydrologicHydrologic ModelModel

PPT = (E + T) + RO + ∆S + D

Provided by Honeywell and O’Brien & Gere ConceptualConceptual HeatHeat andand WaterWater ModelModel forfor aa WillowWillow BiomassBiomass CropCrop

„ Climate „ PPT = 1,018 mm annually „ PPT = 560 mm (Nov – Apr) o „ Average temp. = 8.3 C „ Crop Management „ 3-year harvest rotation „ Soil modifications with organic amendments & tillage „ Determine effect on percolation (leachate generation)

(Figure supplied by USDA) TheThe SimultaneousSimultaneous HeatHeat andand WaterWater (SHAW)(SHAW) ModelModel

„ OneOne--dimensionaldimensional modelmodel developeddeveloped toto simulatesimulate soilsoil freezingfreezing andand thawing.thawing. „ SimulatesSimulates snowsnow accumulationaccumulation andand snowmelt,snowmelt, transpirationtranspiration andand actualactual evaporation.evaporation. „ IncorporatesIncorporates biomassbiomass andand otherother cropcrop managementmanagement practicespractices asas inputinput parameters.parameters. ModelModel CalibrationCalibration UsingUsing SapSap FlowFlow

„ StemStem heatheat balancebalance methodmethod „ Three-year old willow on mineral soil „ Sensor sizes range from 10 - 35mm „ Measure:Measure: sapsap flowflow (g/hr/stem)(g/hr/stem) andand stemstem diameterdiameter distributiondistribution (stem/ha)(stem/ha) „ Compute:Compute: StandStand--scalescale sapsap flowflow (l/day)(l/day) StemStem SizeSize DifferencesDifferences inin LateLate SeasonSeason SapSap FlowFlow forfor OneOne VarietyVariety

4 SX64, 16mm sapl ofw l/day 3.5 SX64, 25mm sapl ofw l/day

y) 3

a SX64, 35mm sapl ofw l/day 2.5 l/d (

w 2 o 1.5 fl p 1 Sa 0.5

0

4 4 4 04 0 04 04 04 04 04 0 04 04 0 04 04 04 04 04 04 04 04 04 04 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 20 /2 /2 /2 /2 /2 /2 /2 /2 /2 /2 /2 /2 /2 /2 /2 /2 /1 /4 /7 0 3 6 9 2 5 8 1 /3 /6 /9 2 5 16/20/19/20 25/ 28/ 0 /1 /1 /1 /1 /2 /2 /2 /3 /1 /1 9/ 9 9/22/209/ 9/ 10 10 1 11 11 11 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 11

Time (day) StemStem DiameterDiameter DistributionDistribution toto DetermineDetermine StandStand--levellevel SapSap FlowFlow 20000 S25 18000 SV1 16000 SX64

-1 14000

12000

10000

8000

6000

4000

Number of stems ha 2000

0

0 6 9 2 5 8 1 4 7 0 0 1 13 2 2 2 3 3 4 < _1 _1 _ _ _ _ _3 _ _4 > _ 9 2 5 8 4 13 16 1 2 2 2 31 3 37 10 Diameter class (mm) Sensor sizes (16, 25, 35 mm) ProjectedProjected LateLate SeasonSeason SapSap FlowFlow

SalixSalix VarietyVariety SapSap FlowFlow SapSap FlowFlow (mm)(mm) ((l/d/plantl/d/plant)) S25S25 180180 3.43.4

SV1SV1 6565 1.21.2

SX64SX64 131131 2.52.5

October 8 – November 15, 2004 SummarySummary

„ WillowWillow ((SalixSalix)) cancan bebe successfullysuccessfully establishedestablished whenwhen organicorganic amendmentsamendments areare incorporatedincorporated intointo wastebedswastebeds „ LateLate seasonseason transpirationtranspiration byby willowwillow isis importantimportant toto thethe waterwater balancebalance „ GrowthGrowth ratesrates andand transpirationtranspiration ratesrates varyvary amongstamongst willowwillow varietiesvarieties „ EarlyEarly modelingmodeling indicateindicate thatthat SalixSalix minimizesminimizes deepdeep percolationpercolation FutureFuture ActivitiesActivities -- 20052005

„ MonitorMonitor keykey soilsoil andand vegetationvegetation characteristicscharacteristics onon thethe wastewaste bedsbeds „ BeginBegin trialstrials onon thethe wastewaste bedsbeds withwith differentdifferent organicorganic amendmentsamendments „ QuantifyQuantify sapsap flowflow overover entireentire growinggrowing seasonseason „ CompleteComplete initialinitial modelmodel runsruns andand identifyidentify keykey variablesvariables „ CalibrateCalibrate andand verifyverify modelmodel outputoutput AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

„ HoneywellHoneywell InternationalInternational „ O’BrienO’Brien && GereGere CompaniesCompanies SelectionSelection ofof SalixSalix forfor FieldField TrialsTrials

„ SelectionSelection criteria:criteria: „ Survival „ Below-ground biomass (consider root : shoot ratio) „ High water use “efficiency” (e.g. high water use : biomass Greenhouse screening trial of 40 ratio) willow and hybrid poplar clones.