Agenda - 08-01-1989 - Laserfiche WebLink

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• . 34 . • Mr. Mike Adair Letter Page Two . . This assumes that liquid is applied uniformly over a waste receiver site and that there is no long term storage in the soil. The phosphorus assimilative capacity of some Piedmont North Carolina soils has been measured by researchers at this university. I have measured adsorption capacities over 2500 lb/a on many samples of soil. Above these loadings there may be some mobility of phosphorus. The primary mechanism by which phosphorus enters aquatic environments appears to be with sediment. Controls to minimize sediment loss are essential to reduce phosphorus input into aquatic environments. Generally grassed waterways, forested buffers, or riparian areas are considered ideal site features to minimize sediment loss. Examination of the system proposed in your Orange County Project indicates that the land area available for the wastewater treatment from the six homes is in excess of 1.5 ac. Physical'evaluation of the soil material on the site indicates that it is moderately deep, slowly permeable and well drained with a moderately high concentration of clay in the subsoil. These are ideal conditions for onsite wastewater treatment facilities. The clayey subsoil should be capable of assimilating a large volume of phosphorus. Phosphorus utilization by-laws and adsorption to clay should provide tremendous potential to fix phosphorus on the site proposed as the waste receiver sites. There is monitoring data from existing onsite wastewater treatment facilities which can quantify the concentration of selected waste constituents in shallow groundwater. If you are interested in this monitoring information of if I may be of additional help, please contact me at the letterhead address. If there is interest in visiting community cluster systems, please contact me. Sincerely, • 6-)41211111" A. R. Rubin, Extension Specialist Biological and Agricultural Engineering ARR:sb 1