Modeling BMPs to optimize municipal wastewater land treatment system

Nutrient simulations of a municipal wastewater land treatment system were performed using the ground-water loading effects of agricultural management systems model. A total of 33 best management practices (BMPs) were simulated and compared to a baseline simulation of the current reed canary grass management practice. BMPs consisted of various combinations of crop types and cropping practices. Effectiveness of BMPs was compared based on the amount of nitrogen leached through the root zone and the harvested market value of each crop. Based on the model predictions and local market conditions, recommendations for the facility were given as the following: reed canary grass cut four times per year, orchard grass cut three or four times per year, or silage corn with a winter cover crop under low wastewater loading. Overloading the reed canary grass and orchard grass, especially for short periods of time, was simulated to have no adverse effects on the ground water. The ground-water loading effects of agricultural management systems model was demonstrated as a useful tool for the optimization of a municipal wastewater land treatment facility.