There are two different types of man-made areas that provide for the treatment of storm rain runoff. One is a Bioretention basin system . That system is used to remove a wide range of pollutants, such as suspended solids, nutrients, metals, hydrocarbons, and bacteria from storm water runoff. They can also be used to reduce peak runoff rates and increase storm water infiltration when designed as a multi-stage, multi-function facility. Bioretention systems are most effective when they receive runoff as close to its source as possible. These systems stay dry primarily until rain and storm water is added.They can vary in size and can receive and treat runoff from a variety of drainage areas within a land development site. They can be installed in lawns, median strips, parking lot islands, unused lot areas, and certain easements. They are intended to receive and filter storm runoff from both impervious areas and lawns. For more information this website is provided below:
https://njstormwater.org/bmp_manual/NJ_SWBMP_9.1%20print.pdf
This Earth Cache is about a Linear Marsh. It is found in the City of Temple Terrace Florida. This type of Storm water treatment is also man made but is wet year round. This is a Man-Made system designed to provide biological treatment to storm runoff by the assimilation of nutrients , also trap and retain the finer particulate particles suspended in the storm water runoff. This is the third and final stage that Storm water is treated and naturally filtered. The first two are a sump ( second stage) which acts as a catch for coarser materials that enter the waterway and the Continuous Deflective Separation (first stage), this acts as a barrier for larger items trying to enter the waterway.
The Linear Marsh being the third link in what is called a "treatment train" by the city is the most important.This is done by planting native wetland plants. Here in the shallow areas are yellow- flowering flag and closer to the center of the Marsh are purple flowering Pickerelweed and white flowering Arrowhead. In the deeper center you will see the higher growing Broad-leaf Arrow Root Lily and the Bulrush. When the storm runoff enters this system it begins a filterization process through the planted vegetation and once it exits this area and enters the nearby Hillsborough river it is considerably cleaner. This is FLORIDA and any and all FLORIDA type critters could be present in or near the water. I would advise to keep pets on leashes and toes out on dry land.
The information for the this has been gathered from both the City of Temple Terrace Parks Department and the Informational signs around GZ.
To receive credit for this EC please provide answers to the following questions:
1) At GZ , what do you observe as far as water color, aquatic life?
2) At these coords , n28 01.603 w082 23.500 compare the water color with that of GZ. What difference, if any , in the water color do you see? Aqautic life?
3) What is it that differentiates between a bioretention system and a Linear marsh ?
4) At GZ, what type of plant life do you see?
5) Optional: You can post a picture of you or your GPS in your log with the Marsh in the background.
