A
bioreactor is a fairly simple structure with the centre of the structure
comprised of woodchip. The structure is installed underground at the end of a
field drain and connected with diversion and overflow structures to control the
flow of water through the system.
One of
these bioreactors is being installed at a local farm near Southam to monitor how
effective it is at removing nitrate from field drains in the local area. Research
undertaken by local field drainage consultant Rob Burtonshaw and fellows in America has shown
that these structures can remove over 95% of nitrate from field drains (Granger & Buckley, 2007).
If
this pioneering work is successful it could help farmers and land managers
reduce the volume of nitrate and phosphate lost from farmland, reducing the
cost of water treatment, and helping to limit further restrictions on
fertiliser use and constraints laid out within NVZ’s.
Keep following our blog to find out how well this new project works....
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