Protecting Real Estate Value Through Water Remediation Using Native Wetlands Plants

Phase 3A – Low-Cost Water Treatment Technology for Agricultural Real Estate

Albertans are all stakeholders in recognizing that the preservation of water, land, and environment is vital to human sustainability for generations to come. This project is a continuation of Phases I and II, both funded by the Foundation.

According to the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association, 80% of Canada’s cattle processing capacity is located in Alberta. Feedlot runoff can contain many different contaminants, including solid and dissolved organic matter, nutrients, salts, and heavy metals, among others. Conventional feedlot wastewater management often involves diverting it to a contained holding pond, where settling processes reduce high total suspended sediment loads, which is critical for reducing the concentration of nutrients. Constructed wetlands have been used to successfully treat feedlot wastewater, but lower-cost options, like floating treatment islands, are still largely uninvestigated, particularly in the Alberta climate. To date, only a handful of studies show the potential of floating treatment islands to treat feedlot effluent. This phase will seek to answer what designs are suitable for livestock feedlot operations, and what plants are suitable for the application of the floating island technology in cold climates.

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Learn about Phase 1 and Phase 2 of this project.

Land – Protect or enhance the value of real property through educational initiatives in both rural and urban spaces that inform and increase land stewardship, land use planning, and land management.