Mixing Zone

AquAeTer conducted mixing zone studies for color and for temperature in the tidally-influenced Turtle River. Two studies were conducted to determine effluent dispersion from an aerated stabilization basin (ASB) discharge through a multi-port, high-rate diffuser and the dispersion from a once-through cooling water discharge from a submerged single-port diffuser.

Water quality samples and measurements were taken at 1/8 tidal periods over a tidal period. Approximately 600 samples were collected. The temperature measurements were also made at 1/8 tidal periods over a tidal cycle. Using GPS in conjunction with plume dispersion, isopleths were developed to demonstrate that the discharges were not having an impact to the Turtle River. It also demonstrated that background color in the Turtle River was as high or higher than the color from the Mill’s effluent.

AquAeTer provided the following services to its client for this sampling and reporting project:

• Water quality measurements were made for water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and conductivity using global position system (GPS)
• Collection of water samples for color analyses with GPS
• Water temperature measurements with GPS for thermal plume monitoring
• Bathymetric profiling with GPS
• Background measurements for water quality and color
• Isopleth and bathymetric graphical presentations