Springfield Bioswale Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(large)
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This is an educational cache. Come find the cache, then view and
learn a bit about a biosawle.
One of Springfield's larger employers has recently expanded their
facilities. It appears they are acting as good stewards of the
community and the environment, having kept the large Douglas-Firs,
and further, designing and incorporating a large bioswale as part
of their parking and landscape plan.
Bioswales are landscape elements designed to remove silt and
pollution from surface runoff water. They consist of a swaled
drainage course with gently sloped sides (less than six percent)
and filled with vegetation, compost and/or riprap. The water's flow
path, along with the wide and shallow ditch, is designed to
maximize the time water spends in the swale, which aids the
trapping of pollutants and silt. Depending upon the geometry of
land available, a bioswale may have a meandering or almost straight
channel alignment. Biological factors also contribute to the
breakdown of certain pollutants.
A common application is around parking lots, where substantial
automotive pollution is collected by the paving and then flushed by
rain. The bioswale, or other type of biofilter, wraps around the
parking lot and treats the runoff before releasing it to the
watershed or storm sewer.
There are several classes of water pollutants that may be arrested
with bioswales. These fall into the categories of (a) silt, (b)
inorganic contaminants, (c) organic chemicals and (d) pathogens. In
the case of silt, these effects are resultant turbidity to
receiving waters. Inorganic compounds may be metallic compounds
such as lead, chromium, cadmium and other heavy metals. Lead is the
most prevalent chemical of this class, deriving from automotive
residue (e.g. surface spillage of gasoline). Other common inorganic
compounds are macronutrients such as phosphates and nitrates.
Principal sources of these nutrients are excess fertilization,
which can cause eutrophication in receiving waters. Chief organic
chemicals are pesticides and herbicides, frequently over-dosed in
agricultural and urban landscaping. These chemicals can lead to a
variety of organism poisoning and aquatic ecosystem disturbance.
Pathogens typically derive from surface runoff containing animal
wastes and can lead to a variety of diseases in humans and aquatic
organisms.br>
The Bioswale itself may be best viewed by looking east while
standing at N44 05.254 W123 02.379
Cache has been placed with the knowledge and consent of the local
company.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
gv ab crgf g'abq