Initial Success in Design and
Modeling of a Landfill Cover using
Salix on the Solvay Waste Beds in
Syracuse, NY
Presented at the Third International Phytotechnologies Conference
April 20-22, 2005 Atlanta, GA
D. Daley1, T. Volk2, A. Johnson1, J. Mirck2, L. Abrahamson2
Faculty of Environmental Resources and Forest Engineering
2 Faculty of Forest and Natural Resources Management
State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and
Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210 www.esf.edu
1
Presentation Outline
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Site history
Project goal and objectives
Vegetation selection and management
Model selection and calibration
Summary
Site History


Soda ash manufacturing
using the Solvay process
(1887 – 1986)
Raw materials locally
available



Solvay Process Company Facility and Erie
Canal, early 1900s
limestone, brine (NaCl) and
water
1907 – Solvay began
operation of settling basins
along Onondaga Lake
Process residues
discharged as a slurry (5%
solids)
Site Location
Syracuse, NY
N 43o 04’ 26” W 076o 14’ 58”
Solvay Process Residues

Waste Beds 9 to 15
15 to 21 m deep
 270 ha (662 acres)
Primarily a non-hazardous
mixture of calcium,
magnesium and sodium
compounds
Stressful growing
conditions in shallow soil
(<1m depth)
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pH (8.0 – 12.3)
Electrical conductivity
(0.5 – 9.2 dS/m)

Organic matter (0 - 3.9%)
Waste Beds 13 - 15
Project Goal and Objectives
•
Determine the feasibility
of using willow shrubs as
part of a multipurpose
landfill closure project.
•
•
•
Screen varieties suitable for
wastebed environment.
Evaluate transpiration by
willow shrubs.
Model the effect of
evapotranspiration on
leachate generation.
•
•
Evaluate the feasibility of
large-scale willow biomass
crop production on the
waste beds.
Determine the value of the
willow biomass crops for
green fuel, bioproducts and
recreation.
Willow Biomass Crop Management
Challenges

Water:
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Select willow varieties that are productive on this site
Promote evaporation and transpiration to decrease deep percolation
(leachate generation)
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Soils:
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Vegetation interception
Low water use efficiency
Planting density and design
Understory vegetation management
Overcome harsh growing conditions
Incorporate organic matter to :
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Enhance survival, growth and productivity
Improve soil water availability and capacity
Provide long-term beneficial use option for generators of biosolids and
organic mulch
Vegetation Selection
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Why willow?
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Naturally established willow and
poplar on the Solvay waste beds.
one of the first woody
species to establish
naturally
tolerant of harsh
conditions
high transpiration rates
high growth rates
genetic diversity
Greenhouse Screening Trials
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Greenhouse screening trial of 40 willow
and hybrid poplar varieties.
Screened 40 varieties of
willow and hybrid poplar
from SUNY-ESF collection
Used biosolids amended
waste, unamended waste
and a control
Used aboveground and
belowground growth
results to select 10
varieties to test in field
trials
Growth and Yield Trials
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Two plots (2004)
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First-year growth of willow on
biosolids-amended Solvay waste
biosolids-amended
(1986)
unamended waste
Two cutting lengths
(25 and 50 cm)
Planting density
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15,000/ha (6,000/ac)
First-year Survival of Willow on
Biosolids-amended Solvay Waste
120
25 cm
50 cm
Survival (%)
100
80.1% survival
on unamended
waste (Field 2)
80
60
40
20
0
-66 37-77 70-23 71-26 71-31 S 365 SV1SX 61SX 64
1
0
98
98
98
98
981
Salix varieties
First Year Growth of Willow on
Biosolids-amended Solvay Waste
100
80
2
Basal area (cm /plot)
25 cm
50 cm
60
40
20
0
7
3
6
1
6
65 SV1 X 61 X 64
01-69837-79870-29871-29871-3 S 3
S
S
1
8
9
Salix varieties
Average basal area
on Field 2
(unamended waste)
(1.2 cm2/plot)
Conceptual Hydrologic Model
PPT = (E + T) + RO + DS + D
Provided by Honeywell and O’Brien & Gere
Conceptual Heat and Water Model
for a Willow Biomass Crop
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Climate
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Crop Management
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PPT = 1,018 mm annually
PPT = 560 mm (Nov – Apr)
o
Average temp. = 8.3 C
3-year harvest rotation
Soil modifications with
organic amendments &
tillage
Determine effect on
percolation (leachate
generation)
(Figure supplied by USDA)
The Simultaneous Heat and Water
(SHAW) Model
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One-dimensional model developed to simulate
soil freezing and thawing.
Simulates snow accumulation and snowmelt,
transpiration and actual evaporation.
Incorporates biomass and other crop
management practices as input parameters.
Model Calibration Using Sap Flow
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Stem heat balance
method
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Three-year old willow on
mineral soil
Sensor sizes range from
10 - 35mm
Measure: sap flow
(g/hr/stem) and stem
diameter distribution
(stem/ha)
Compute: Stand-scale
sap flow (l/day)
9/1
6/2
00
4
9/1
9/2
00
4
9/2
2/2
00
4
9/2
5/2
00
4
9/2
8/2
00
4
10
/1/
20
04
10
/4/
20
04
10
/7/
20
04
10
/10
/2 0
04
10
/13
/2 0
04
10
/16
/2 0
04
10
/19
/2 0
04
10
/22
/2 0
04
10
/25
/2 0
04
10
/28
/2 0
04
10
/31
/2 0
04
11
/3/
20
04
11
/6/
20
04
11
/9/
20
04
11
/12
/2 0
04
11
/15
/2 0
04
Sap flow (l/day)
Stem Size Differences in Late
Season Sap Flow for One Variety
4
SX64, 16mm sap flow l/day
3.5
3
SX64, 25mm sap flow l/day
SX64, 35mm sap flow l/day
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Time (day)
Stem Diameter Distribution to
Determine Stand-level Sap Flow
20000
S25
SV1
SX64
18000
14000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
>4
0
37
_4
0
34
_3
7
31
_3
4
28
_3
1
25
_2
8
22
_2
5
19
_2
2
16
_1
9
13
_1
6
10
_
13
0
<1
0
Number of stems ha-1
16000
Diameter class (mm)
Sensor sizes (16, 25, 35 mm)
Projected Late Season Sap Flow
Salix Variety
Sap Flow
(l/d/plant)
S25
Sap Flow
(mm)
180
SV1
65
1.2
SX64
131
2.5
October 8 – November 15, 2004
3.4
Summary
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Willow (Salix) can be successfully established
when organic amendments are incorporated into
wastebeds
Late season transpiration by willow is important
to the water balance
Growth rates and transpiration rates vary
amongst willow varieties
Early modeling indicate that Salix minimizes
deep percolation
Future Activities - 2005
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Monitor key soil and vegetation characteristics
on the waste beds
Begin trials on the waste beds with different
organic amendments
Quantify sap flow over entire growing season
Complete initial model runs and identify key
variables
Calibrate and verify model output
Acknowledgements
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Honeywell International
O’Brien & Gere Companies
Selection of Salix for Field Trials
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Selection criteria:
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Greenhouse screening trial of 40
willow and hybrid poplar clones.
Survival
Below-ground biomass
(consider root : shoot
ratio)
High water use
“efficiency” (e.g. high
water use : biomass
ratio)