During my visit to Australia this summer, I stumbled upon this park gem. I ate many great sandwiches from the shop nearby and enjoyed the beauty that this 'restoration project' has provided. Please read the following information about this project, as well as answer a few short questions.
Environmental geology, like hydrogeology, is an applied science concerned with the practical application of the principles of geology in the solving of environmental problems. It is a multidisciplinary field that is closely related to engineering geology and, to a lesser extent, to environmental geography. Each of these fields involves the study of the interaction of humans with the geologic environment, including the biosphere, the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, and to some extent the atmosphere. In other words, environmental geology is the application of geological information to solve conflicts, minimizing possible adverse environmental degradation or maximizing possible advantageous condition resulting from the use of natural and modified environment.
Environmental geology includes:
- managing geological and hydrogeological resources such as fossil fuels, minerals, water (surface and ground water), and land use.
- studying the earth's surface through the disciplines of geomorphology, and edaphology
- defining and mitigating exposure of natural hazards on humans
- managing industrial and domestic waste disposal and minimizing or eliminating effects of pollution, and performing associated activities, often involving litigation
(borrowed from: Environmental Geology)
What is biofiltration?
Biofiltration is a widely used technique in the removal of pollutants, sediments, heavy metals and other organic and non-organic elements from transient water. The water passes through a series of stages. The number of stages required will vary depending on the volume of water to be treated. Generally the water treated, in a biofiltration system, is either waste water or storm water. Each stage of the system consists of varying types of permeable growing medium and distinctively chosen plant species to remove these elements from the water – ultimately cleaning the water as it passes through the system.
Which plant species are commonly used?
Selecting plant species, such as Ficinia nodosa, Juncus kraussii and Bolboscheonus caldwellii, will assist in removing up to 70% of nutrients (which is taken up by the plant species) and around 80% of sediments and heavy metals (which is trapped by the medium and additional optional infrastructure). As the water percolates through the different layers of medium, the sediments are effectively stripped from the water. The clean water fills an underlying pipe system which captures the resulting clean water. This clean water can now be transported to a new pre-determined location.
(borrowed from: Biofiltration - City of Vincent)
Questions to be emailed (preferably Groundspeak Message Center):
1. How much nitrogen is reduced by the 'Treatment Train'?
2. How much Phosphorous is reduced by the 'Treatment Train'?
3. How much sediment is reduced by the 'Treatment Train'?
4. Whilst viewing the sign, there is a concrete structure to your left, on the other side of the Treatment Train. What is the name of this structure?
5. What two shapes join together to make the storm/drain?
6. How many drains can you see that are part of the system?
7. Nearby, there is a sign (2nd set of coordinates listed), name 4 birds that benefit from this 'Treatment Train'.
Good luck and please do not log a find until you have emailed the answers to me.