Modeling the Performance of Wastewater Systems with DRAINMOD

ABE 459 Drainage and Water Management

Due 11/30/16 at 11:59 pm

Modeling the Performance of Wastewater Systems with DRAINMOD

The following paragraph was taken from areport from the Ohio Department of Health. (RES-OSU-CDmodfinalreport.pdf)

OSU Curtain Drain Model Study - Final Report
This report contains the results of curtain drain modeling studies that evaluated the performance of subsurface drains to remove excess water from the soil profile with application to on-site wastewater treatment systems. In summary, 58 representative soil series were analyzed using the agricultural water management computer model DRAINMOD. The results modeled the predicted water table elevations based on different drain spacing(5 m, 15 m, 30 m and no drains) at a drain depth of 140 cm (4.5 ft) using soils and climatic data including average annual precipitation. For the 58 soil series selected, DRAINMOD was used to predict the number of days each year that the water table depth would be less than or equal to 30 cm (about 1 ft), less than or equal to 60 cm (about 2 ft), and less than or equal to 90 cm (about 3 ft). Please note that these scenarios represent the ability of drains to perform under normal average precipitation only, and do not consider the addition of wastewater. The condition of additional wastewater loading was modeled for four soils under a case study, and the results are shown in the report. The Ohio Department of Health will continue to work with the Ohio State University to accomplish modeling of the other soil series evaluated in the report for the additional loading of wastewater, and then evaluate these data to determine how and when drains can be used to effectively lower the water table during most of the year to allow the installation of soil-based systems on sites through either a special device approval or in future rules. Theabove link to the report summarizes the results and provides examples and discussion, and the appendices contain the model results.

Replicate the simulation studywith Sable and Ipava soils, 30 years of Urbana climate data and

a)No additional loading of wastewater

b)Addition of waste water at the rate of 1/8 inch per day

c)Addition of waste water at the rate of 1/4 inch per day

For the wettest two-year period in your selected climate record, plot the daily water table depth. Would you recommend using these soils for wastewater treatment?

Prepare a group report, similar to the Ohio report, for an Illinois agency.