Kent SeaTech Corporation
IFAFS Proposal
Kent SeaTech Water Sharing IFAFS Proposal
Consortium Members:
1) Kent SeaTech Corporation, San Diego, California (Lead Institution)
Principal Investigators: Mr. James M. Carlberg and Mr. Jon C. Van Olst
Principal Investigators: Mr. Michael J. Massingill and Mr. Rodney J. Chamberlain
2) University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
Principal Investigator: Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons, Dept. of Soil, Water, and Env. Science
Principal Investigator: Dr. Jeffrey C. Silvertooth, Plant Sciences Department
3) Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
Principal Investigator: Dr. Dave E. Brune, Dept. of Agricultural & Biological Engineering
4) University of California Cooperative Extension Service
Principal Investigator: Dr. Fred Conte, Aquaculture Extension Specialist, UC Davis
Principal Investigator: Mr. Jose L. Aguiar, Farm Advisor, UC Riverside
5) McMullen Valley Water Conservation and Drainage District, Vicksburg, AZ
Principal Investigator: Mr. James D. Downing, P.E.
6) Vicksburg Farms, Vicksburg, Arizona
Principal Investigator: Mr. R. O. Cramer, General Partner
7) USDA Western Regional Aquaculture Center, Seattle, WA
Principal Investigator: Dr. Kenneth Chew, Director
This is a preliminary draft of the IFAFS water sharing proposal. It includes the overall concepts
that we are hoping to address, but still is lacking an APPROACH section (other than a general
task outline). We could use your help in adding to this outline and in adding a paragraph about
the portion of the work that you will be responsible for.
We also would appreciate any and all editorial suggestions you would like to provide. You can
either make comments in a different color in this file and return it to jvanolst@west.net, or print
the file, mark it up, and fax your suggestions to 805-649-9081.
Thanks very much,
Jack Van Olst
Director of Research
Kent SeaTech Corp
Kent SeaTech Corporation
IFAFS Proposal
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (IFAFS)
JAWS: Joint Aquaculture/Agriculture
Water Sharing Programs for Manure Management
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Project Summary.................................................................................................. (not numbered)
Project Description...................................................................................................................... 1
A. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1
B. Relevance and Significance ............................................................................................... 1
C. Approach ........................................................................................................................... 1
D. Time Table......................................................................................................................... 1
E. Evaluation and Monitoring ................................................................................................ 1
1) Evaluation and Monitoring of Project Results .......................................................... 1
2) Evaluation and Monitoring of Consortium Administration ...................................... 1
F. Collaborative Arrangements............................................................................................... 1
G. Need for Consortium Approach ........................................................................................ 1
H. Consortium Management Plan .......................................................................................... 1
Appendices to Project Description.............................................................................................. 1
Key Personnel ............................................................................................................................. 1
Conflict-of-Interest List ............................................................................................................. 1
Collaborative and/or Subcontractual Arrangements ................................................................... 1
Budget (Form CSREES-55) ....................................................................................................... 1
Current and Pending Support (Form CSREES-663) ................................................................. 1
Kent SeaTech Corporation
IFAFS Proposal
Assurance Statements (Form CSREES-662) ............................................................................. 1
Certifications ............................................................................................................................... 1
Compliance with NEPA (Form CSREES-1234) ....................................................................... 1
Kent SeaTech Corporation
IFAFS Proposal
USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (IFAFS)
JAWS: Joint Aquaculture/Agriculture
Water Sharing Programs for Manure Management
PROJECT SUMMARY (250 Words)
The aquaculture industry needs water to expand, but most suitable supplies are already being
utilized by land-based agriculture. Our USDA and NIST research indicates that a water sharing
approach may allow high density aquaculture operations to be located adjacent to agricultural
operations, utilize the source water in a non-consumptive manner, treat it at minimal cost, and
deliver it to row crop farms. Fish manure that represents a disposal problem to aquaculturists
becomes an asset to downstream agriculture operations, providing nitrogen fertilizer for row
crops via fertigation. Multiple-uses of limited water resources allows the two industries to share
a single water source, reduce environmental pollution, and effectively double crop production.
We will develop aquaculture/agriculture water sharing technologies and conduct education and
extension activities to implement this technology in the western states, where 89% of irrigated
crops are located. The research will take place in California and at a new aquaculture/agriculture
research facility in Arizona that will be designed to develop and showcase the most efficient
water sharing technologies available.
Founded in 1972, Kent SeaTech has conducted 15 aquaculture research projects for USDA, NSF,
DOC, and NIST. We will join with university scientists and extension experts to develop costefficient methods of interfacing aquaculture and agriculture facilities so that existing supplies of
valuable irrigation water can be shared by both groups to conserve resources, reduce
environmental pollution, and increase profitability. If this technology proves successful and were
practiced at 4% of U.S. farms, aquaculture production could double, with no additional water
resources required.
CONSORTIUM MEMBERS
1) Kent SeaTech Corporation, San Diego, California (Lead Institution)
Principal Investigators: Mr. James M. Carlberg and Mr. Jon C. Van Olst
Principal Investigators: Mr. Michael J. Massingill and Mr. Rodney J. Chamberlain
2) University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
Principal Investigator: Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons, Dept. of Soil, Water, and Env. Science
Principal Investigator: Dr. Jeffrey C. Silvertooth, Plant Sciences Department
3) Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
Principal Investigator: Dr. Dave E. Brune, Dept. of Agricultural & Biological Engineering
4) University of California Cooperative Extension Service
Principal Investigator: Dr. Fred Conte, Aquaculture Extension Specialist, UC Davis
Principal Investigator: Mr. Jose L. Aguiar, Farm Advisor, UC Riverside
5) McMullen Valley Water Conservation and Drainage District, Vicksburg, AZ
Principal Investigator: Mr. James D. Downing, P.E.
6) Vicksburg Farms, Vicksburg, Arizona
Principal Investigator: Mr. R. O. Cramer, General Partner
Kent SeaTech Corporation
IFAFS Proposal
7) USDA Western Regional Aquaculture Center, Seattle, WA
Principal Investigator: Dr. Kenneth Chew, Director
Kent SeaTech Corporation
IFAFS Proposal
Page 1
USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (IFAFS)
JAWS: Joint Aquaculture/Agriculture
Water Sharing Programs for Manure Management
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This proposal for IFAFS Consortium Funding addresses five important objectives under Topic 5.
Natural Resource Management (Program Area 14.3 Animal Manure Management): (a)
development of rates and methods of land application of manure that are most suitable for a
given watershed; (f) determination of water quality impacts of nutrients, pathogens, and other
waste products, and the development of strategies to reduce such impacts, and the development
of programs to educate the public on such water quality issues; (g) development and
implementation of alternative waste treatment technologies; (h) development and marketing of
value-added products from animal waste; and (j) development of alternative animal production
systems.
A. INTRODUCTION
Aquaculture, the controlled culture of fish and shellfish, is an extremely large industry
worldwide, with more than 55 billion lb produced annually. In the U.S., aquaculture has become
a one billion dollar industry, providing nearly 15% of our seafood supplies. Aquaculture is an
ecologically efficient means of providing seafood for American consumers that reduces fishing
pressure on our limited wild fisheries resources and reduces our dependence on imports. Many
recent technological breakthroughs in genetics, nutrition, and pathology have made aquaculture
the fastest growing sector of the agriculture industry, expanding at an annual rate of 20%. A
survey conducted by the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service indicated that freshwater
fish culture in the U.S. involves primarily catfish (581 million lb), salmon (110 million lb), trout
(63 million lb), tilapia (12 million lb), and striped bass (9 million lb).
However, aquaculture production in the U.S. appears to be reaching a limit, due to the finite
supply of water. The industry also is threatened by environmental pollutants sometimes
associated with the discharge of untreated fish farm effluents. As modern technologies for
aquaculture develop, there are few locations in the U.S. where unutilized land and water
resources are available for their implementation. U.S. agricultural operations already are
utilizing nearly all of our water supplies that are not devoted to municipal and industrial
activities. The few remaining untapped water resources often are designated for conservation
and ecological preservation, or may have "wild river" status. No such limits are faced by foreign
aquaculture companies, which have many advantages over U.S. producers. Many developing
countries have tropical and sub-tropical climates in which large quantities of warm water are
available for aquaculture. Also, land and labor costs are low and there are few environmental
restrictions or limitations on drug usage. Imports of fish grown in Colombia, Costa Rica,
Ecuador, Taiwan, China, and Indonesia have increased markedly as the foreign competition
adopts U.S. culture technologies. In order for U.S. growers to compete against the strong
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IFAFS Proposal
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advantages of foreign producers and expand significantly in the U.S., novel technologies and
approaches will be required.
Since its inception in 1972, Kent SeaTech Corporation has been conducting research to develop
advanced technologies to improve the competitive position of the U.S. aquaculture industry.
With federal research funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Science
Foundation, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the NIST Advanced Technology Program,
we have developed a variety of technological advances that are assisting the U.S. fish farming
industry. Based on our preliminary research funded by USDA and the Advanced Technology
Program, we believe that the solution to the problem of limited availability of water supplies for
U.S. aquaculture development may involve a water sharing approach. Our studies indicate that
high density aquaculture operations can be located in proximity to large agricultural operations,
utilize the source water in a non-consumptive manner, treat it at minimal cost, and then deliver it
to row crop farmers. This dual or multiple-use of limited water resources means that the two
industries can share a single water source and may effectively double crop production by these
techniques. When several innovative water treatment and recirculation technologies also are
utilized, there may be a 300-400% increase in the total crop value yield per acre-foot of water
consumed. There have been several previous attempts to increase productivity from water
resources by combining aquaculture and agriculture. However, most of these have involved the
stocking of small numbers of fish in existing irrigation canals as a secondary source of income
for agriculture operations. As many of these operators have learned, fish culture is a difficult
enterprise requiring a considerable amount of technical skill, and therefore these small,
supplemental fish crop programs have not been overly successful. In contrast, what we propose
is the combining of technologically advanced high density aquaculture technologies with modern
row crop agriculture practices. Each industry is sophisticated enough that it requires professional
management, but they can still share the water resource that they have in common to mutual
benefit. The overall concept is illustrated below:
Conceptual Flow Diagram
Intensive
Aquaculture
Water
Supply
(Continuous,
non-consumptive
user)
Low Cost
Water
Treatment
and
Recirculation
System
Irrigated
Agriculture
Concentrated
Fraction
(Intermittent,
consumptive
user)
Easily-treated Fraction
Agriculture also would benefit significantly by this approach. At the turn of the previous
century, crop irrigation represented just 1% of all U.S. water use. However, as modern
agricultural practices have developed, irrigation has grown rapidly and now represents 41% of all
our water resource use in the U.S. More than 150 million acre-feet of water per year are devoted
to irrigating crops. Nearly all of this water use occurs in the West, since 89% of all irrigated
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crops are farmed in the nine western water regions. The costs of irrigation water are substantial,
varying from $6 to more than $400 per acre-ft. In many areas, local water costs are increasing
and farmers are sometimes unable to operate at a profit. If techniques were available so that
aquaculturists could utilize the source water and then pass it on to land farmers with no loss of
volume or quality, the aquaculturists would be more than willing to pay a portion or even all of
the farmer's water costs. The resulting increase in profitability for row crop farmers could be
significant. Further, the fish manure that is present in aquaculture effluent is at relatively low
concentrations and could provide an additional source of nitrogenous fertilizer for row crops.
The water sharing concept appears to resolve significant problems facing both aquaculture and
agriculture. Kent SeaTech has conducted preliminary research funded by the NIST Advanced
Technology Program which indicated that partially treated aquaculture effluent applied to test
plots of corn and lettuce was able to provide all the water flow required for irrigation and did not
appear to have any adverse chemical effects. In these studies and in additional research funded
by the USDA SBIR program, we are finding that constructed wetlands may serve as inexpensive
water treatment systems to treat a portion of the effluent so that it can be recycled and reused in
the aquaculture component to increase production, before it is released to the agriculture
operation. The ability to recycle the water is an important part of the overall concept, since it
allows the water flow to the agriculture component to be intermittent, as required by the row crop
irrigation schedule, and yet allows continuous flow through the aquaculture component via
recycling.
We are using the term Joint Aquaculture/Agriculture Water Sharing (JAWS) to describe this
overall concept. In this project, we propose to conduct research to develop and refine
aquaculture/agriculture water sharing technology and to conduct education and extension
activities that will develop and implement this technology in the western U.S. We will utilize a
consortium approach to achieve these objectives, and have assembled an excellent team of
cooperating researchers, educators, and extension experts to ensure that the technology becomes
widely implemented. The research activities will take place at two locations: 1) the high density
fish culture facility of Kent SeaTech Corporation in California, where the existing systems are
being modified and retrofitted to allow the delivery of treated farm effluent to cooperating
agriculture operations, and 2) a new high density fish culture facility to be developed by Kent
SeaTech in conjunction with Vicksburg Farms, a modern agricultural operation in Arizona,
which will be designed from the outset to utilize the most efficient water sharing technologies
that we develop. The California studies will focus upon careful measurement of the effects of
fish farm effluent on common row crops such as corn and lettuce, and will build upon initial
work we conducted under funding from the Advanced Technology Program. The Arizona test
facility will evaluate several new concepts that should result in increased water treatment and
reuse capability, and will be specifically designed to assist in convincing agricultural interests
that the water sharing concept will work in their application and result in significant cost savings.
University extension experts in both states will work closely with the project to insure that the
technology appeals to a broad base of small and large agricultural interests. Also, the Director of
the USDA Western Regional Aquaculture Center will work collaboratively with the Consortium
to encourage aquaculture extension specialists in all western states to promote this technology
wherever it may be applicable. This combined research-verification-extension approach is
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exactly what will be required to convince agriculture operations of the significant benefits that
could result from water sharing technologies.
PLACEHOLDER FOR 3 COLOR PICTURES
Project Objectives
The overall goal of this project is to develop and promote the widespread implementation of
cost-efficient methods of interfacing aquaculture and agriculture facilities so that existing
supplies of valuable irrigation water can be shared by both industries to conserve resources,
reduce environmental pollution, and increase profitability.
In order to accomplish this goal, the Consortium will address the following eight Project
Objectives:
1) To evaluate in large-scale field trials the suitability of aquaculture effluent water for irrigation
of terrestrial agriculture crops.
2) To determine whether the primary waste products of aquaculture operations such as ammonia
nitrogen, phosphorous, and fish manure are useful by-products that can be utilized by agriculture
and simultaneously reduce effluent disposal problems of aquaculture.
3) To develop cost-efficient methods of aquaculture effluent treatment that will reduce pollution,
permit multiple uses of existing water supplies, and leverage aquaculture production capacity.
4) To evaluate the use of constructed wetlands technology as an extensive method for potential
use in aquaculture/agriculture water management to: a) treat aquaculture effluents to allow for
recycling water to increase effective utilization of water resources; b) settle solids and
concentrate aquaculture waste nutrients for delivery to agriculture; c) function as a buffer to
modulate differences in water requirements between the needs for continuous use in aquaculture
and intermittent use in agriculture.
5) To use the information developed during these studies to design, construct, and evaluate a
prototype water treatment and sharing system of sufficient scale that the results will have
commercial applicability and will be useful in convincing potential users of the feasibility of the
concept. The prototype system will receive effluent from a high density fish culture system that
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will be provided to the consortium as in-kind match.
6) To conduct economic modeling studies using the results of the above research, in order to
predict the cost-effectiveness of the integrated water sharing technologies at full-scale
application.
7) To educate the farming community, water agencies, and general public regarding the
economic and environmental benefits of water sharing technologies and the large opportunity for
expanding aquaculture production without the need for developing any new water resources.
8) To conduct extension activities to promote water sharing strategies in the western U.S.
Previous Research
There has been relatively little research conducted on the sharing of water resources between
aquaculture and agriculture. Most of the research that has been conducted has focused on the
potential benefits involved in use of the nitrogen wastes in aquaculture effluent. While the value
of the nitrogen released from fish farms may be significant, in our opinion the value of the water
itself may be a much more compelling reason to develop sharing strategies. Also important is the
role that water sharing could play in reducing the environmental impacts of aquaculture effluents
that would otherwise be returned directly to receiving waters or percolate to groundwater.
Westerman et al. (1993) estimated that the trout industry alone produces about 10 million kg of
solid wastes annually. Another likely benefit is the storage function that a recirculating
aquaculture and water treatment facility could offer, which could help to synchronize the
intermittent water demands of row crops with the continuous water demands of high density
aquaculture. Little research has been conducted concerning these important aspects of
integration of aquaculture and agriculture.
Use of Aquaculture Effluents in Agriculture. A review by Phillips et al. (1991) indicated that
worldwide there is a relatively high water demand in aquaculture and a need to optimize water
reuse by integration with agriculture. Some preliminary research to achieve integration has been
conducted. The potential economic value inherent in fish farm effluent was described at a
Aquaculture Engineering Conference held in Spokane, WA (Wang 1993). At the TVA National
Fertilizer and Environmental Research Center, effluent from a conventional sewage treatment
facility was used to irrigate agricultural crops (Reed 1988). They studied the role of plant
species, hydraulic loading, ammonia removal, and maintenance and operating costs. The effluent
from aquaculture operations is rich in nutrients that can be applied to agricultural irrigation. This
practice has been used at low densities for over 5,000 years in Asia, where they have fully
integrated rice-fish-vegetable production. Integrated aquaculture effluents have been used for
crop irrigation in Europe for several decades (Rosenthal 1991). In Canada, researchers have
utilized sludge from land-based salmon farms as agricultural fertilizer (Lystad and Selvik 1991,
Bergheim et al. 1993). They indicated that trout farm solid waste appeared similar to livestock
waste in levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, calcium, and magnesium, but had lower levels of
potassium (Naylor and Moccia 1993). In Israel, fish farm effluent has been used in agriculture,
and in the Philippines fish farm wastewater has been used to irrigate maize, rice, and vegetables
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to increase yield and profitability.
Some of the most pertinent research in this field has been conducted by Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons,
a member of our proposed research team. Several evaluations of the use of aquaculture
wastewater in agricultural irrigation were conducted at the Environmental Research Laboratory at
University of Arizona, the Maricopa Agricultural Experiment Center, the Gila River Indian
Reservation, and several private facilities (Fitzsimmons 1988). One agricultural operation they
evaluated required 50-300 kg/ha nitrogen and 1.2 m of water when using conventional irrigation
and fertilization techniques. However, when applying integrated water use strategies, the same
agricultural operation required only 45 kg/ha nitrogen and 0.9 m of water. These studies
indicated possible concerns with particulate waste plugging drip irrigation systems, the
mechanics of delivering wastewater from the fish farm, and costs for extensive distribution
systems. Nonetheless, wastewater from tilapia and catfish production operations in the Gila and
Salt River Valleys was successfully used for experimental crop irrigation.
Other research by Dr. Fitzsimmons and his associates demonstrated that water costs can be
reduced for both fish and row crop farmers, and that farmers were able to reduce their chemical
fertilizer use (Olsen et al. 1992, Olsen and Fitzsimmons 1994). Uneaten feed and fecal matter
contributed organic compounds and nutrients. The nitrogen available in this effluent was
calculated to be about 0.03 kg NH4-N per kg of feed fed to the fish. The research demonstrated
that fish farm effluent could be applied successfully and that a portion of the required nutrients
was supplied in the fish farm effluent. In these studies, farmers shared water costs with
aquaculture and were able to save $123 per hectare ($50 per acre) in crop production costs (Yates
et al. 1992). Other work by these investigators has addressed the potential for surface irrigation
of cotton using aquaculture effluent (Olsen et al. 1993).
In an experimental field study, Irving et al. (1992) compared commercial fertilizers to fish
manure and found similar yields. Sweet corn had higher yields when provided with fish manure
than when commercial fertilizers were used. At the LSU Cooperative Extension, scientists
conducted research to integrate catfish and crawfish culture with traditional agriculture (Lutz,
pers. comm.). At the University of the Virgin Islands, sludge from tilapia culture tanks has been
compared to cow manure and liquid and granular inorganic fertilizer (Rakocy 1994). The yield
for peppers irrigated with fish wastewater was comparable to yields obtained from application of
commercial fertilizers.
At the University of Georgia's Coastal Plain Experimental Station, researchers evaluated the use
of catfish pond effluent in sprinkler irrigation of soybean and wheat crops (Ghate et al. 1994,
Burtle and Ghate 1994). The results indicated that effluent from catfish ponds provided from 15
to 75% of the nitrogen needs of the plants. Other studies of the potential for using aquaculture
pond effluent for irrigation in the southeastern U.S. were conducted by the USDA Southern
Regional Aquaculture Center (C.S. Tucker, compiler 1998). This report concluded that although
the results of crop studies were good, the effluent from ponds, which are operated at much lower
densities than high density fish culture tank systems, was not sufficiently nutrient-rich to
significantly reduce the use of fertilizers. Aquacultural effluents also have been studied for use
in hydroponic systems. The results of most studies have indicated that the effluent should be
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Page 7
augmented with additional nutrients to be useful. Adler et al (1996) designed a conveyor system
to direct high phosphorus effluents to younger plants or seedlings, which are better at removing
phosphorus than are older plants.
Wetlands Water Treatment Systems. Constructed wetlands have been developed and tested for
use in municipal sewage treatment in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Several publics works
projects to restore waterfowl habitat have resulted in the development of techniques to manage
bulrush communities. More recently, this water treatment technology has been adapted to treat
waste from industrial and agricultural operations. Constructed wetlands have been used to treat
concentrated animal waste from livestock and poultry in recent years (Hammer 1993). These
systems are low-technology and low-cost, and are more compatible with general agricultural
practices. A relatively small amount of energy is required for their operation.
In some applications, wetlands technology may be employed for less than 1/10th the cost of
conventional sewage treatment systems. It often involves lower construction costs, lower
maintenance costs, simpler designs, and lower pumping heads. Also, it is often suitable for
multiple objectives, such as waste treatment, recirculation, and reuse applications.
Two of the principal research centers for this research are Auburn University's Sand Mountain
Agricultural Experimental Station in Alabama, and Mississippi State University's Pototoc
Experimental Station. At the Auburn facility, wetlands have been used to treat hog production
effluent, and at the Mississippi facility, dairy farm effluent is treated (Hammer and Bastian 1991,
Hammer 1993).
Wetlands have been used effectively to provide primary and secondary treatment of effluents to
remove the organic load (BOD) and suspended solids (TSS), and eliminate pathogens. The
principal process to reduce nutrient levels involves ammonification, which requires an oxidized
environment. Effluents are effectively treated to meet secondary discharge standards where BOD
and TSS levels must be less than 30 mg/l. Constructed wetlands have been used to treat swine
manure at Muscle Shoals, Alabama, since the late 1970's (Maddox and Kingley 1991). Livestock
waste also has been treated with wetlands at Sand Mountain Agricultural Experimental Station
(Hammer et al. 1993). Similar results were observed in the treatment of dairy and swine waste,
where there was a 90% reduction in total nitrogen and 80% removal in total phosphorus
(Surrency 1993).
Zachritz and Jacquez (1993) at the Southwestern Technical Development Institute of Northern
Mexico State University evaluated a surface flow wetlands planted with Scirpus californicus.
They determined that a four day retention time was required for adequate nitrification. Wetland
studies at the facility at Gustin, California, using loading levels of 18-116 BOD/ha/day (16-104
lb/ac/day), showed effective removal of 93% of the BOD. Surface flow systems have been used
to polish secondary effluent prior to discharge into Humboldt Bay in Arcata, California
(Gearheart and Higley 1993, Gearheart et al. 1991).
There has been little previous work on the use of wetlands to treat aquaculture effluent. Our own
research in this field is described in the next section. In addition, Axler et al. (1996) conducted
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studies on the use of constructed wetlands for treating of aquaculture wastes in northern
Minnesota. Summerfelt et al. (1996) conducted research on aquaculture sludge removal and
stabilization within created wetlands. A review by the Southern Regional Aquaculture Center
(1998) provided examples where constructed wetlands have been used for the treatment of
aquaculture effluents. The authors stated that the space requirements could be prohibitive in
some cases and recommended a hydraulic residence time of four days. Schwartz and Boyd
(1995) considered the use of constructed wetlands for the treatment of channel catfish pond
effluents.
Fish Manure. Fish manure contains approximately 4% total nitrogen and 90% organics. It is
high in nitrogen and phosphorus, and low in potassium and trace elements. The components of
salmonid hatchery waste in Ontario have been quantified for fish receiving a diet with 80%
digestibility, at a feed conversion of 1.2:1 where total suspended solids were 300 g/kg feed per
day, dissolved phosphorus 2.2 mg/l, and total ammonia 38.3 mg/l (Castledine 1986). Summary
data have been published on the average water quality of salmon hatchery effluent in
Washington, where suspended solids were 7.0 mg/l, BOD 5.4 mg/l, ammonia 0.5 mg/l and
phosphorus 0.1 mg/l (Liao 1970).
Measurements of effluents from freshwater fish culture facilities indicated varying levels of
waste compounds: ammonia 1-3 mg/l, nitrates 1-5 mg/l, total nitrogen 1.5-6 mg/l, phosphate 0.10.5 mg/l, total phosphorus 1-2 mg/l, and total filterable solids 5,00-1,000 mg/l. Similar
concentrations were recorded for catfish pond operations in Mississippi (Pruder and
Tchobanoglous 1989). They reported the following measurements of pond water quality in
summer: total nitrogen 5.6 mg/l, nitrate/nitrite 0.2 mg/l, total ammonia 0.4 mg/l, total phosphorus
0.8 mg/l, and total solids 500 mg/l. They also noted that an important treatment concern is
removal of solids, which is usually accomplished in sedimentation tanks through gravity settling.
The amount of suspended solids to be treated greatly depended on the amount and degree of
management control of feeding operations. The volume of solids produced ranged from 2001,000 kg per metric ton of fish produced, and represented about 300 g per kg of feed. About 9 g
of phosphorus is produced per kg of feed, with 2/3 of the phosphorus bound in the solids and 1/3
in the soluble fraction.
Regulatory Issues. The aquaculture industry is becoming increasingly concerned that overregulation will restrict its growth (Batterson and Piedrahita 1996). For some time the EPA has
been concerned primarily with particulate wastes in the effluent from fish culture facilities and
has required that particulate settling be performed prior to discharge to the environment. More
recently however, there are more stringent guidelines being promulgated that also will address
the biostimulants (primarily nitrogen and phosphorus) that are present in aquaculture effluent.
These compounds are more difficult to remove, even though they are present at low levels
compared to traditional municipal or industrial waste streams. Biostimulants can cause
eutrophication of receiving waters even at the low concentrations found in aquaculture effluent.
Intensive (high density) aquaculture facilities are now required by the EPA to meet discharge
standards set by NPDES permit (EPA “Notice of Proposed Effluent Guidelines Plan” Section
V.B.2.g – Fish Hatcheries and Farms 1998). Further, there is mounting pressure from
environmentalists calling for increased regulation of the industry. The Environmental Defense
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Fund recently published a report cautioning that aquaculture discharges have the potential to
damage the environment if the industry is not observed and regulated (Goldberg, and Triplett
1997).
These issues will affect all aquaculture operations to a significant degree. Methods of reducing
the concentrations of biostimulatory compounds such as ammonia from levels of 3-5 mg/l down
to levels of 0.5 mg/l will be expensive and require more effort than systems that reduce
municipal effluent from 25 mg/l down to 2-3 mg/l. Our work with constructed wetlands offers a
promising means of meeting the target objectives at low operating cost. Even more useful will
be water-sharing technologies that would allow the application of the nitrogenous waste directly
on field crops without expensive treatment required.
Previous Research By Kent Seatech Corporation
In previous federally-funded research, Kent SeaTech has developed several advanced aquaculture
methods in which fish are held at high densities in intensive raceways or tanks and the culture
water is recycled through a series of intensive and extensive systems for water treatment. Under
a cooperative funding agreement from the NIST Advanced Technology Program and with
substantial in-house matching support, we conducted research to develop low-cost water
treatment systems that would provide cost effective and efficient methods of removing
particulates and metabolites from fish farm effluents. We investigated the potential for adapting
the wetlands method of sewage treatment to aquaculture wastewater treatment. Our wetlands
treatment components consist of shallow lagoons in which plant and bacterial populations are
managed in order to maximize the removal of ammonia and other environmentally damaging
compounds. The managed wetlands wastewater treatment technology can be applied to many
forms of land-based aquaculture production, including ponds and open or recirculated tank
culture systems. In addition, we conducted research on the development of a nitrifying reactor
process to remove nitrogenous compounds from aquaculture effluents. We also conducted
preliminary trials concerning the reuse of the treated effluent both for additional aquaculture
production and for irrigation of agricultural crops. The results of these studies are summarized in
the following sections.
Constructed Wetlands. Traditional constructed wetlands designed for treatment of domestic
wastes generally have long residence times, employ sub-surface gravel beds, and discard the
water rather than recycle it. Our research on wetland ponds designed for use in treating
aquaculture effluents involved studies of the effects of pond size, depth, macrophyte species,
plant thinning protocols, aeration, and hydraulic retention time (HRT). Initially we conducted a
research effort with in-house funds to recirculate a portion of the effluent water from our striped
bass culture facility through a series of open-water treatment ponds. This facility is located near
Palm Springs, California, and currently produces over 1.3 million kg (3.0 million lb) of striped
bass annually. The objective of our preliminary research was to evaluate whether a fraction of
the water flow could be nitrified and reused for additional production within an intensive striped
bass rearing system. Constructed wetland ponds were shown to be capable of reducing total
ammonia to 0.25 -1.0 mg/l, at input flows of up to 4,500 liters/minute (1,200 gpm) of untreated
water.
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Based on the preliminary success we achieved in utilizing open-flow ponds to treat aquaculture
effluent, we began a program to develop constructed wetlands for a larger study of water
treatment and reuse. These systems appear to offer a simple, inexpensive, water treatment
alternative for fish farms that are located in areas with sufficient available land. Constructed
wetlands used for sewage treatment consist of shallow earthen ponds planted with rooted aquatic
macrophytes such as cattails, bulrush, reeds, etc. Current designs suggests multistage lagoon
patterns (Hammer 1993) and the use of rectangular ponds (Steiner and Freeman 1991) to reduce
accumulation of organic matter and effectively reduce nutrient levels.
Support for this research was provided by the NIST Advanced Technology Program. The initial
studies indicated that the best species of bulrush for use in this application was the California
bulrush, Scirpus californicus, and that the optimal hydraulic residence time for nitrification of
aquaculture effluent could be as short as 0.5-1.0 days when supplemental aeration was provided,
thus allowing the wetlands to provide more efficient aerobic nitrification. This significantly
reduces the area required for wetlands construction. Our initial studies indicated that the
economics of wetlands treatment appeared favorable, although seasonal temperature variations
affected the efficiency of the system. The wetlands system also appeared to function best as part
of a sequence of inexpensive treatment steps, as described below.
Sequential Treatment Process. Our ATP research produced several promising treatment
methodologies that functioned best as a series of sequential treatment steps in an overall process
we termed the SMART-WetlandsTm process. First, aquaculture effluent was delivered to a long,
concrete Solids Removal Raceway stocked with high densities of tilapia, a detritivorous fish that
was shown to have high potential as a means of removing suspended solids and particulate
matter that were present in the effluent. This step removed approximately 30% of the suspended
solids before they could decompose and create more harmful and toxic compounds such as
ammonia.
After exiting the raceway, the effluent water was supplied to an enhanced form of nitrifying
reactor we developed, called the Suspended Media Ammonia Removal Technology (SMART)
system. This water treatment component consists of a large oval concrete tank in which the
water is circulated by means of a large hydraulic paddlewheel. The water column contains a
number of polyurethane foam cubes that provide a large amount of well-aerated surface area for
the growth of nitrifying bacteria. These bacteria break down ammonia, the most common and
most toxic compound present in fish culture effluent, to less toxic nitrogenous compounds such
as nitrate. In our prototype systems, the SMART system was capable of removing at least 40%
of the total ammonia present.
The third step in the sequential treatment process involved the delivery of the effluent to large,
shallow earthen ponds that were planted with mature bulrush plants (Scirpus sp.). A series of
studies were conducted to determine the optimal species, pond depth, plant density, aeration
rates, and water residence time for the effluent flowing through these treatment ponds. This
polishing step was shown to be capable of removing at least 40% of the remaining ammonia and
nearly all of the remaining suspended solids.
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Water Reuse Program. The final step we evaluated was the delivery of a portion of the effluent to
nearby cooperating vegetable farmers. Sharing of water resources in this manner would allow
the aquaculture operation to utilize new water first, which is important because most aquaculture
species require very clean water, whereas most plants will tolerate and even benefit from a
supply of nitrogenous compounds. We conducted a small test program with nearby vegetable
growers to evaluate the usefulness of aquaculture effluent in the irrigation of several row crops
such as corn and lettuce. A supply line was installed and the cooperating growers planted several
test plots that received aquaculture effluent, which were compared to identical test plots irrigated
with well water. Laboratory analyses of the plants indicated that there were no significant
differences in the quality of crops produced by these two methods. Further, in these preliminary
trials, the fertilizer present in the effluent provided some advantages to the growers. Our studies
indicated that yields for the crops were increased by 10%, and a 15% savings in fertilizer costs
was realized due to the nitrogen fertilizer available in the recycled water. These studies were
encouraging and indicated that effluent from the fish production tanks is desirable for use as
irrigation water, not only as an alternative source of water, but also as a partial source of
fertilizer.
Pondway PAS Systems. We also have conducted USDA-funded research in cooperation with
Dr. Dave Brune of Clemson University to evaluate the use of wetland ponds in Partitioned
Aquaculture Systems (PAS). PAS facilities involve a low energy, intensive-extensive culture
approach in which the fish are held at high density in one section of a pond or raceway and the
water is passed through the fish chamber and then into larger sections where traditional pond
nitrification can take place. In Dr. Brune's research on PAS systems, the main nitrification
activity is provided by managed populations of unicellular algae, whereas in our Pondway form
of the PAS, the pond zone is planted with vascular plants such as Scirpus, and bacteria on the
submerged surface plant surfaces perform much of the nitrification. These studies are providing
useful data on wetlands efficiency and interface well with the water sharing research proposed
here.
B. RELEVANCE AND SIGNIFICANCE
Relationship of Objectives to IFAFS Goals
We believe this project conforms excellently to the objectives of the IFAFS program. The
overall goal of this project is to develop and promote the widespread implementation of costefficient methods of interfacing aquaculture and agriculture facilities so that existing supplies of
valuable irrigation water can be shared by both industries to conserve resources, reduce
environmental pollution, and increase profitability. This conforms very well with the overall
goal of the IFAFS program, which according to the authorizing legislation, is to focus upon
"critical emerging agricultural issues related to 1) future food production, 2) environmental
quality, or 3) farm income". Also according to the authorizing legislation, consortium projects
such as ours should receive priority, since they are "multi-disciplinary projects that integrate
agricultural research, extension, and education", and therefore offer the "greatest potential to
produce and transfer knowledge directly to end users".
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Our consortium addresses five important IFAFS objectives under Topic 5. Natural Resource
Management (Program Area 14.3 Animal Manure Management): (a) development of rates and
methods of land application of manure that are most suitable for a given watershed; (f)
determination of water quality impacts of nutrients, pathogens, and other waste products, and the
development of strategies to reduce such impacts, and the development of programs to educate
the public on such water quality issues; (g) development and implementation of alternative waste
treatment technologies; (h) development and marketing of value-added products from animal
waste; and (j) development of alternative animal production systems. The RFP also specifically
mentions aquaculture as one of the five animal groups that should be the focus of proposals
under Program Area 14.3, and further suggests that projects to develop methods of managing
manure by the use of wetlands are encouraged.
Kent SeaTech Corporation has received 15 federally-funded aquaculture research grants
previously, and therefore should qualify for IFAFS funding as a private research organization
"with an established and demonstrated capacity to perform research and that (1) conducts any
systematic study directed toward new or fuller knowledge and understanding of the subject
studied, or (2) systematically relates or applies the findings of research or scientific
experimentation to the application of new approaches to problem solving, technologies, or
management practices; and (3) has facilities, qualified personnel, independent funding, and prior
projects and accomplishments in research or technology transfer."
Significance of Activity
There is little doubt as to the economic importance of research in this field. Almost every major
review of aquaculture has described the critical need for improved aquaculture water treatment
and water integration systems if this new industry is to continue to expand in the U.S. The
National Aquaculture Act and the revised National Aquaculture Plan highlight the importance of
this area of aquaculture research and development. The 1994 National Agenda for Aquaculture
and the Environment describes the critical need to conserve water and utilize wastes in integrated
systems which combine terrestrial agriculture and constructed wetlands. The Congressional Joint
Subcommittee on Aquaculture and the National Research Councils promote a "national agenda to
encourage the development of advanced aquaculture technologies and environmentally sound,
renewable resources", as part of the Presidential Initiative on Sustainable Development.
The USDA Regional Aquaculture Centers also emphasize the importance of aquaculture waste
management, and encourage research "to characterize waste, evaluate technologies, develop the
best management practices, and promote technology transfer" (Broussard, unpubl.). Similar
emphasis is placed on the topic by the Cooperative States Research, Education, and Extension
(CSREES) Program, and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE)
(Rasmussen pers. comm.). Aquaculture waste management has been declared a National Need
having top priority by the Agriculture in Consort with the Environment (ACE) Program, a joint
effort of the USDA and the EPA.
Industries to Be Assisted. The development of successful technologies for agriculture uses of
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aquaculture waste water will be of benefit to many farm operations in the West, since they will
benefit from sharing water costs and the reduced demand on the limited canal water and
groundwater supplies. Those farms that decide to implement the sharing concepts we develop
should enjoy increased profitability and production. In addition, the technology and concepts we
are proposing to develop can be implemented in many other areas throughout the U. S.
The Southwest is one of the most productive agriculture areas in the U. S. It also has a relatively
good supply of well water and Colorado River water, which is ideal for the culture of many
species of fish. There are many agricultural operations in this area which could benefit from
additional sources of irrigation water. Agriculture operations that are physically close to existing
fish culture facilities will be the first to benefit from the development of this new technology, but
the results of our research and feasibility analyses also will be made available to all agricultural
operations through the Cooperative Extension efforts of the University of Arizona, and the Davis
and Riverside campuses of the University of California. All interested farmers will be
encouraged to tour the research facilities and determine for themselves whether the water reuse
concepts we develop would be beneficial to their specific applications. In addition, we will work
with the McMullen Water Conservation District to encourage participation by as many
agriculture operations as possible, and with Dr. Kenneth Chew, Director of the Western Regional
Aquaculture Center, who will coordinate extension activities with all aquaculture extension
specialists in the western states.
Potential Increases in Agriculture Production. In many areas that are otherwise suitable for
increased agriculture production, the major factor preventing increased yields is the lack of
additional water supplies. If suitable technology could be developed so that aquaculture effluents
could be delivered to nearby agricultural operations, it is possible to estimate the substantial
theoretical gains in agricultural production which might be achieved. For example, a major user
of water in the Northwest is the rainbow trout culture industry. If the effluent from just 10% of
the trout farms in the Northwest could be diverted to irrigation of vegetable crops, there would be
sufficient irrigation water made available for 95,000 acres of vegetables, worth nearly $400
million annually.
It is also possible to estimate the potential increased profitability that agriculture could achieve if
aquaculture companies are allowed to build new facilities near the water source points of existing
irrigated fields and use the water prior to delivery to the row crops. In the table below, if we
assume that the new aquaculture enterprises would be willing to pay 50% or 100% of the water
costs, the benefits to the agriculture operation are $41/acre and $82/acre, respectively. In many
cases, this could represent a doubling of the profits made by the growers.
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Potential In creas e in Pro fitab ility for Field Crop Agriculture Op erations Employin g Water Sh arin g
Mode of Op eration
Av erage
Av ereage
An nual
An nual Income Increased Pro fit
Cos t of
Water Usage Water Cos ts
from Field
from Water
Water-$/AF
-AF/yr
- $/yr
Crops -$/ac/y r Sharing -$/ac/yr
Trad ition al Op eration
(ag ricu lture pays all
$20.50
4.00
$82.00
$733.00*
water co sts )
Water Sharing 50:50
(sp littin g of water
$10.25
4.00
$41.00
$733.00
co sts )
Water Sharing 100:0
(aq uacultu re p ays all
$0.00
4.00
$0.00
$733.00
water co sts )
*-Average an nual in come from irrigated field cro ps in Californ ia durin g 1995.
$0.00
$41.00
$82.00
Similar projections can be made for the Southwest, other major farming areas in the Southeastern
U.S., and most agricultural areas of the country. The exact amount of potential increase in crop
production and farm profitability will depend on the species of fish, types of land crops that are
cultivated, and the local costs for irrigation water.
Potential Increases in Aquaculture Production. Substantial gains also could be made in
aquaculture production if techniques are developed to allow fish farmers to utilize irrigation
water currently used for land crops. This use would be upstream of the existing agriculture
operations and would not degrade the water quality or significantly reduce the quantity available.
Following the assumptions used in the theoretical analysis below, it can be shown that if
agriculture irrigation water were to be used in fish culture prior to application to row crops at just
4% of farming sites in the United States, the amount of seafood produced through aquaculture
could double, from about 900 million pounds annually to nearly two billion pounds. The
potential increase at Vicksburg, AZ alone could be as much as 10 million pounds annually.
Region
Vicksburg
Coachella
Arizona
California
6 Southwest States
United States
Irrigated Land
(1000 acres)
6
78
1,090
9,480
16,500
57,900
Water Usage
(1000 ac-ft/yr)
25
314
6,300
32,400
62,200
150,000
Potential Fish Production
(million lb/yr)
10
43
860
4,400
8,500
20,500
Potential
Value
$10M
$40M
$0.8B
$4B
$8B
$20B
An increase in aquacultural production of this magnitude in the rural areas of the Southwest
would have a dramatic effect on the high unemployment rates typically present in this area. In
general, the labor involved in producing one pound of fish represents about $0.25 to $0.50 of the
total costs of production. Therefore, the additional employment required to cultivate these
additional crops would be about 10 to 20 million dollars annually, which represents
approximately 1,500 to 3,000 additional full-time positions.
The ultimate commercialization of the technology will provide a range of broad-based benefits to
the country. The technology will assist in lowering production costs, which will stimulate
increased aquaculture production. Higher levels of production result in increased supplies to
meet the demand for nutritious seafood products and also can result in potentially lower prices
for consumers. Increased production also will help to reduce our large import trade deficit for
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IFAFS Proposal
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seafood ($6.9 billion annually). Widespread use of these concepts in aquaculture will provide
more domestic employment, more conservation and integrated use of our limited water supplies,
reduced pollution, and increased conservation of our wild fisheries stocks.
This technology could provide the key for successful integration of intensive, non-consumptive
aquaculture with crop agriculture. Approximately 85% of all water distributed in the western
U.S. is used by agriculture. Integration of traditional agriculture with aquaculture could provide
tremendous expansion opportunities for the aquaculture industry, allowing U.S. aquaculturists to
compete more effectively with foreign supplies and the capture fisheries. Cooperating farming
operations also will benefit, as a result of reduced operating expenses resulting from the sharing
of water resources, reduced fertilizer requirements, and increased crop yields.
SharingPrograms Using Imported Canal Water. In California alone, over 4.4 million acre-feet of
water is imported annually, primarily for agricultural use. Temporary diversion of even a small
portion of this resource through aquaculture facilities would result in the production of many
millions of pounds of seafood. In fact, this known, existing water resource is the equivalent of
the water availability advantage held by foreign competitors in tropical nations. Wide-scale
implementation of aquaculture/agriculture water sharing programs provides a realistic means for
U.S. aquaculturists to overcome some of the major advantages held by overseas competitors.
C. APPROACH (Not Done-Need Input from each investigator to fill in outline)
We will design, implement and conduct several research studies needed to determine the most
effective means of using irrigation supply water in aquaculture and agriculture applications. At
the conclusion of the research, economic modeling studies will be done to predict the effects of
the multiple-use concept on the profitability and production costs of both the fish farming and
crop farming components. The final results and recommendations will be made available to all
interested parties using a variety of methods to stimulate the implementation of the technology
throughout the West..
Technical Research Activities (Just some preliminary ideas)
1) Development of research facilities
a) Modifications to California research facility (retrofitted water sharing)
b) Construction of Arizona research facility (designed specifically for water sharing)
(research on fish culture tanks and components are not part of project - these will
be
provided at no cost by KST)
2) Effects of aquaculture effluent on crop quality and soil chemistry
3) Development of water treatment components
a) Particulate Removal - tilapia channel, bead filter, settling in wetlands
b) Primary Nitrification - SMART system, other media
c) Secondary Nitrification - wetlands, seasonal effects, aeration, harvesting
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d) Efficient water transport techniques between components
e) Wetland underdrains to separate particulates
4) Development of JAWS technology
a) Develop methods to interface continuous AQ w intermittent AG
1) Wetlands as "storage" or "water use buffer"
2) Continuous Organic Fertigation vs Intermittent Chemical Fertilization
(may be better for groundwater, less leaching)
Education Activities
1) University Graduate Student Projects
2) University Class Lectures
3) Development of Secondary Education Curriculum
4) Facility Tours
Extension Activities
1) Presentations to Industry Organizations
2) Agriculture Publications and Press Releases
3) Aquaculture Publications and Press Releases
4) Development of Video Presentations
5) Development of Websites
6) Facility Tours
7) Water District Contacts
Synchronizing intermittent agriculture water demands with continuous aquaculture demands.
One potential problem with the interfacing of high density fish culture and field irrigation for
water sharing is the differences in daily and seasonal demand for water. Whereas fish culture
tanks need a constant new supply of new makeup water (or treated water that is low in ammonia
and other nitrogenous compounds), the water requirements for field crops will vary according to
several factors. We will investigate a variety of techniques that will bring the water requirements
of the two industries into conformance. The least difficult is the selection of growing areas and
specific crops that can be cultivated year-round. In the southwest, several crops are farmed in
this manner. The disadvantage of this approach is that the technology may not be as applicable
in colder climates. Another relatively simple method of synchronization is the use of the wetland
ponds to physically store water volume, until the crop irrigation schedule requires it. However,
due to the high volumes involved, this method probably would not provide more storage that
what would be needed to accommodate daily fluctuations in water demand.
We also will evaluate the use of the wetland treatment component as a storage method that could
allow the flow to the field crops to be turned off, but still allow recycling to provide clean water
for the fish culture system. In this application, storage does not mean a simple storage of the
water volume, but means that the nitrogenous wastes could be "stored" in the wetland component
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until the field crops are able to receive the concentrated flow. In our previous research, it
appeared that settled particulates may be allowed to settle in the upper zones of a wetlands pond
and may not decompose (and create additional ammonia loading) unless the warmer water
temperatures of summer are reached. Staging the release of wetland water at these times could
shunt a high portion of the ammonia to the irrigated fields. We will evaluate this concept, and
also determine whether a series of perforated underdrain pipes located beneath the wetlands may
be useful in capturing this more concentrated flow and routing it to the fields.
Another method of synchronizing water use that we will evaluate is varying the feed level
supplied to the high density fish tanks to conform with the water usage capability of the field
crops. This method will undoubtedly work to reduce or eliminate makeup water requirements for
extended periods of time and we have used it successfully in actual commercial production.
Another technique to match water requirements would be to treat the effluent sufficiently to
allow direct r4elease to the environment. This approach might be most logical when the field
crops are receiving enough rainfall that no irrigation is required. In this research we will
determine whether these methods, in combination with other synchronization techniques
described above, provide solutions that are economically justifiable for the aquaculture operator.
Economic Modeling. In several previous federally funded studies, we have developed methods
of utilizing computer modeling techniques to project, the effects of full-scale implementation of
aquaculture technological innovations. Components of the models address the anticipated effects
of new farming concepts on production capacity and on the overall economics of the operation.
Using preliminary estimates of the efficiency of the various proposed culture and water reuse
methods, we will use these modeling techniques to extrapolate the results to full-scale
commercial operation, and conduct an analysis of the costs involved in these methods of culture.
The analytical techniques to be used involve Monte Carlo risk analysis, which provides a range
of probable outcomes, and calculates the probabilities associated with the estimates, as opposed
to the more common single-value prediction technique. These estimates and cost predictions for
the test facility design will be compared with agriculture and aquaculture separately, so that
recommendations can be made regarding the overall benefits of incorporating these technologies
in future commercial-scale facilities.
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D. TIME TABLE
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E. EVALUATION AND MONITORING
1) Evaluation and Monitoring of Project Results
During the first quarter of the project we will meet with the consortium members to develop a
series of performance criteria and target objectives that will be used to indicate success in each
topic area. In the case of the scientific research objectives, such criteria will take the form of
specific water treatment efficiencies, filtration loading parameters, and allowable effluent
nitrogen concentrations. However, the projected capital and operating costs of each component
when implemented at commercial scale also must be considered. We have developed and
utilized several economic projection models successfully for this purpose on previous contracts.
Some of the models utilize Monte Carlo iterative modeling techniques to predict the most likely
costs of commercial-scale operation of system components, and also can associate probability
estimates with the predictions. In this manner for example, we may be able to state that the
likelihood that the proposed technology will result in nitrogen removal techniques less expensive
than traditional municipal treatment technology is 75%.
The success of less-quantifiable objectives such as our education and extension efforts will not
be as convenient to measure. We will work with the consortium members to develop a series of
targets, including the development of teaching curricula, training of graduate students,
preparation of promotional materials, etc., that will be used as indicators of success for these
activities. The ultimate success of the entire project will be the establishment of full-scale
aquaculture/agriculture partnerships that put the water sharing technology we develop to
commercial use. We will develop a program of periodic follow-ups by extension experts who
will re-contact potential users periodically after they are exposed to the technologies we develop,
so we can determine the degree to which the concepts developed by this grant are being put to
commercial use.
2) Evaluation and Monitoring of Consortium Administration
The consortium members will be consulted regularly to ensure that the administration of each
component of the research, education, and extension efforts is meeting their requirements. A
Consortium Steering Committee, consisting of three Principal Investigators who are not
employed by the Lead Institution, will meet as needed to provide guidance regarding any changes
in administrative policies that would improve the quality of the program outputs. Also, to ensure
that all consortium members are able to participate at their required levels, funding requirements
already have been calculated by each member in a detailed budget proposal. These budget
amounts will be passed through to the Contracts and Grants Office of each consortium member,
on a no-additional-cost basis. These amounts will not be decreased without the approval of 1)
the consortium member affected by the budgetary change, and 2) the USDA IFAFS Project
Manager (if required).
F. COLLABORATIVE ARRANGEMENTS
This multi-disciplinary project consists of research, education, and extension activities to be
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carried out in the western states, primarily in California and Arizona. In addition, we have
included researchers on the East Coast with expertise in certain required fields and USDA
extension experts based in Washington state. These professionals will participate in the project
through a consortium arrangement, with Kent SeaTech Corporation serving as the lead
institution. The primary responsibilities of each consortium member are described below:
Consortium Members
1) Kent SeaTech Corporation, San Diego, California (Lead Institution)
Principal Investigators: Mr. James M. Carlberg and Mr. Jon C. Van Olst
Principal Investigators: Mr. Michael J. Massingill and Mr. Rodney J. Chamberlain
Responsibilities: As the consortium lead institution, the company headquarters of Kent SeaTech
Corporation will coordinate all research, education, and extension activities, provide technical
and financial accountability functions for consortium members, and interface with IFAFS Project
Leaders to ensure that all project objectives and reporting requirements are met. Kent SeaTech
Corporation also will provide substantial matching funds for the project and will purchase or
construct many of the capital assets required to conduct the research.
Kent SeaTech Corporation scientists also will be a part of the consortium research team and will
conduct experiments at the Kent SeaTech Aquaculture Research Facility in Coachella Valley,
California, to develop efficient methods of treating effluent from large-scale high density
aquaculture facilities so that it can be recycled and reused in aquaculture and delivered to
cooperating agriculture operations. Concurrently with this research on water treatment
components to be conducted in southern California, Kent SeaTech Corporation will construct a
high density fish culture system and a water-sharing research facility in western Arizona, which
will be interfaced with large cooperating agriculture interests. This facility will be located
between the existing irrigation water supplies and large agriculture crop fields and will be used to
develop and evaluate water reuse and sharing technologies. The combined
aquaculture/agriculture operation will serve as a research and education facility to develop,
promote, and implement water-efficient multiple-use strategies in the southwestern U.S.
2) University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
Principal Investigator: Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons, Dept. of Soil, Water, and Env. Science
Principal Investigator: Dr. Jeffrey C. Silvertooth, Plant Sciences Department
Responsibilities: Scientists from the University of Arizona will direct the educational and
extension aspects of this research program. University research projects on water quality, soil
chemistry, agriculture crop yield and quality, and other related topics will be conducted by
university researchers and graduate students as part of their thesis topic research programs. The
Arizona State Cooperative Extension Service will provide extension services to the agricultural
and aquacultural communities, encourage potential users to visit the site, and educate the public
in regard to the need for water sharing programs.
3) Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
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Principal Investigator: Dr. Dave E. Brune, Dept. of Agricultural & Biological Engineering
Responsibilities: Agricultural and aquacultural engineers at Clemson University will assist in
developing water treatment technologies and manure management processes that are appropriate
for use in water sharing applications between aquaculture and agriculture. They also will
cooperate in developing the required experimental design and testing protocols that will be used
to determine the treatment efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the overall approach.
4) University of California Cooperative Extension Service
Principal Investigator: Dr. Fred Conte, Aquaculture Extension Specialist, UC Davis
Principal Investigator: Mr. Jose L. Aguiar, Farm Advisor, UC Riverside
Responsibilities: Aquaculture and agriculture extension activities in California will be conducted
by the University of California Cooperative Extension Service, which will educate the public in
regard to the need for multiple use programs and develop statistical data to predict the potential
value of water sharing technologies to aquaculture and agriculture users in California. A portion
of this work will involve the writing of articles for publications such as Desert Ag Notes and the
California Farm Bureau Newsletter. The Extension Service also will conduct research to
accurately quantify the benefits and problems involved with the use of aquaculture effluent on
agriculture crops, and consider the possible effects (such as pesticide overspray problems) of the
agriculture operation on the aquaculture components.
5) McMullen Valley Water Conservation and Drainage District, Vicksburg, AZ
Principal Investigator: Mr. James D. Downing, P.E.
Responsibilities: Officials of the McMullen Valley Water Conservation and Drainage District
(MVWCDD) in Arizona will assist in developing cost-effective water distribution systems and
strategies for resolving differences in daily and seasonal water demands between aquaculture (a
continuous non-consumptive user) and agriculture (an intermittent consumptive user). They will
also evaluate the resulting water quality effects of proposed fish “manure” treatment systems,
including particulate removal, nitrification, and constructed wetland systems, and develop
statistical predictions regarding the usefulness of this approach for the agriculture industry in
Arizona. Mr. Downing and the MVWCDD also will provide a means of contacting additional
potential users throughout the state to inform them of the opportunities for water cost savings
made available by implementation of this technology.
6) Vicksburg Farms, Vicksburg, Arizona
Principal Investigator: Mr. R. O. Cramer, General Partner
Responsibilities: Vicksburg Farms will conduct studies to evaluate the advantages and problems
involved with the use of aquaculture effluents on agricultural row crops. They will provide
several test plots that will receive effluent of varying concentrations, and will observe and
quantify the effects on crop quality, crop yields, operational impacts, and ultimate water and
fertilizer cost savings.
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7) USDA Western Regional Aquaculture Center, Seattle, WA
Principal Investigator: Dr. Kenneth Chew, Director
Responsibilities: Dr. Chew will coordinate the efforts of aquaculture extension offices
throughout the western states to promote the adoption of this technology, if it is proved
successful.
Cooperating Investigators and Consultants
1) Mr. Jeff Percy, President, Ocean Mist Farms, Coachella, California
Responsibilities: Ocean Mist Farms has offered to cooperate with the research program and will
receive treated fish farm effluent, raise several test crops of corn and lettuce, and work with
Extension Service scientists to determine the quality of the crops, the effects of effluent on the
soil in the test beds, and other related production statistics.
2) Mr. Mart Nickerson, Prime Time Farms, Coachella, California
Responsibilities: Prime Time Farms has offered to cooperate with the research program and will
receive treated fish farm effluent, raise several test crops of corn and lettuce, and work with
Extension Service scientists to determine the quality of the crops, the effects of the effluent on
the soil in the test beds, and other related production statistics.
3) Dr. John Menke, St.Gregory College Preparatory School, Tucson Arizona (WET Project)
Responsibilities: The Water Education for Teachers (WET) Project is a joint education and
extension project of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the University of Arizona. Dr. Menke
will develop an education curriculum at the high school level and will develop educational
exercises for science students that will promote an understanding of the need to conserve and
share water resources throughout the Southwest. Some aspects of this work will be performed
using a new wet lab facility being constructed at the school, which will allow students to conduct
research on the effects of several source water types on fish culture systems and plant species
receiving fish tank effluent.
G. NEED FOR CONSORTIUM APPROACH
This project has several important and ambitious objectives. While the research component to
develop new technologies to allow multiple use of water resources is of extremely high value, on
a practical level there must be a coordinated plan for implementation of the new technologies if
the aquaculture and agriculture industries are going to benefit through cooperation. Currently,
these industries co-exist with little communication or overlap in infrastructure, and do not
possess convenient means to learn to work together toward mutual objectives. The wellestablished agriculture industry has considerable influence nationwide, but previously has not
viewed the newly-developing aquaculture industry as much more than a competitor for valuable
water resources. A multi-disciplinary approach that can bring these industries together will be of
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IFAFS Proposal
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high value.
The consortium that we have assembled to address this problem will provide the multidisciplinary approach that is required. Private industry researchers from the aquaculture and
agriculture fields will develop the water treatment and water sharing systems that represent the
technological basis for the project. University researchers will work together with the industry
scientists to design, evaluate, and refine the systems and to test the results of the water sharing
programs in actual row crop field trials. The academic partners also will educate the public
regarding water sharing technology through classroom activities, curriculum planning, and
graduate student research activities. As the technology develops, four extension specialists (one
aquaculture and one agriculture extension scientist each in CA and AZ), together with water
district representatives and the Director of the USDA Western Regional Aquaculture Center, will
work throughout the western states to encourage the implementation of this technology, using a
combination of facility tours, publications, brochures, and audio-visual materials. All of these
components are required to actually affect significant changes in irrigation water usage patterns,
and can only be provided by a diverse group of cooperating specialists who are expert in the
fields of system design, aquaculture and agriculture research, education, and research activities.
If the project is successful and the technology is adopted by users in the western states, the
USDA Regional Aquaculture Centers in other areas of the country will be in an excellent
position to continue the development of water sharing concepts in other regions of the U.S.
H. CONSORTIUM MANAGEMENT PLAN
As the lead institution, Kent SeaTech Corporation will be responsible for coordinating the
activities of the consortium members. Kent SeaTech Corporation has considerable experience in
administering large federal grant programs comprised of scientists from multiple disciplines. We
have served as the lead agency on several contracts that involved cooperative work by
researchers from various aspects of private industry and from many academic institutions,
including the University of California, University of Connecticut, University of Strasbourg,
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Clemson University, North Carolina State University, and
San Diego State University. Based on this experience, we are aware of the need to provide
means to closely coordinate the efforts of the various groups. We will monitor the progress of
each consortium member by several methods, including frequent meetings, visits to consortium
members, the submission of a variety of written reports (monthly database updates, monthly
form-based progress reports, and quarterly and annual text reports). The monthly database
reports and form-based reports will be submitted and maintained through a non-public internet
website that will provide convenient means for consortium members to submit and update draft
reports, databases and performance information on water treatment components, row crop yields,
and other pertinent data. When sufficient information and a program for large-scale water
sharing have been developed, we also will host a public website that will serve as an additional
method for extension and public education activities.
Kent SeaTech Corporation's Finance Department has successfully administered several million
dollars of federal research funds previously, and will serve as the primary administrator of
financial matters related to the consortium. We will work with each researcher's Contracts and
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IFAFS Proposal
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Grants Office to ensure that budget requests and expenditures follow government guidelines. All
requested changes in research direction, modifications in budget allocations, and proposed
changes in staff commitments will be administered through our offices. We will contract for
outside audits as necessary to satisfy all USDA grant requirements.
Kent SeaTech Corporation also will serve as the primary interface between the consortium
members and USDA IFAFS. We will serve as the focal point for the preparation of all required
progress reports, annual reports, and final report. Kent SeaTech Corporation will meet with
USDA Program Managers as required, develop meeting agendas and minutes, prepare digital
projector presentations, arrange for travel and lodging, and provide all logistics support needed
so that constructive and informative meetings will result.