The Science of Wingfield Pines
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The document discusses the Wingfield Pines conservation area managed by the Allegheny Land Trust and Duquesne University, highlighting its mission of environmental stewardship and education. It details the collaboration since 2007 to monitor and treat abandoned mine drainage through innovative ecological design and real-life scientific experiences provided to students. The partnership has resulted in valuable data that aids environmental decision-making while emphasizing the need for community outreach and education regarding scientific processes.
The Science of Wingfield Pines
- 1. The Science of Wingfield Pines A Duquesne University Study
- 2. To serve as the lead land trust conserving and stewarding lands that support the scenic, recreational and environmental well-being of communities in Allegheny County and its environs. Mission of Allegheny Land Trust
- 3. BIODIVERSITY WATER MANAGEMENT LANDSCAPE CHARACTER Prioritize protection of lands that meet these three criteria
- 4. Education Flood Control Open Space Recreation Benefits of Wingfield Pines
- 5. thing more rewarding than living in a beautiful setting…Protecting it! ALT’s Wingfield Pines Conservation Area, Upper St. Clair
- 6. Wingfield Pines Former strip and deep mine site Former golf and swim club 80 acres USC & S. Fayette Borders Chartiers Creek 3 existing ponds First source of abandon mine drainage in the Chartiers Watershed Acquired by ALT in 2001
- 7. Three fish ponds @ Wingfield Pines
- 8. AMD from Wingfield into Chartiers Creek 1500 – 2000 gallons per minute flowing for decades 43 tons of iron oxide deposited into Chartiers Creek every year Chemistry enables passive treatment technology – no chemicals or pumps needed Iron oxide sediment can be recovered and used for pigment
- 9. Design Criteria Creative and educational Visually interesting – “no right angles” Minimize footprint with compact design High performance Passive system – no chemicals or pumps Engaging 1 year + to design
- 10. Hedin Environmental President: Dr. Robert S. Hedin Finalized site plans, formulate and submit a permit package, perform construction oversight, monitors the system after completion Design treatment systems that our cost efficient, effective and unique http://www.hedinenv.com/
- 11. Wingfield Pines AMD treatment system designed on the idea that form follows function. Landscape architect and artists proposed a design that made the treatment system cost efficient, effective and educational. Mixing organic pieces with industrial elements.
- 12. Wingfield’s Uniqueness Ponds linked together in a unique way. No 90 degree angles, soft lines are emphasized. Treatment system is designed where one can walk through the site and see the ecological changes throughout the AMD system.
- 13. Wingfield’s Uniqueness Wingfield Pines has Educational value Circular ponds with a central area and a walk way through the wetlands makes group instruction easy Acts as an open laboratory to various levels and fields of academia
- 14. Installation of Water Fountain and Distribution Structure
- 15. Note the change in color as the A.M.D. moves through system
- 17. 2007 2009 Discharge into Chartiers Creek
- 18. Doing science teaches science! Since 2007, Duquesne University students have been collecting scientific data at Wingfield Pines in collaboration with the Allegheny Land Trust. The on going process has provided base line data on the AMD before, during construction and since its completion in the Summer of 2009. Changes are not random – Discover Patterns
- 19. It is important to grasp the concept that the Wingfield Pines System is not a self-contained entity, it is a piece of a puzzle incorporated into larger surrounding watersheds that represent only a small portion of the greater hydrologic cycle: “You can never step into the same river; for new waters are always flowing on to you.” ~Heraclitus of Ephesus
- 20. There are no straight lines: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Source Pond 1 Pond 2 Pond 3 Pond 4 Pond 5 Wetland Stagnant Stagnant
- 22. Pond 1 D.O. 6 mg/L Pond 3 D.O. 8 mg/L Pond 2 D.O. 7 mg/L Pond 4 D.O. 9 mg/L Pond 5 D.O. 10 mg/L Pond 6 D.O. 11 mg/L In the lab, one could…
- 23. or or or
- 24. •Allegheny Land Trust (ALT) and Duquesne University have enjoyed a successful partnership since 2007 around the Wingfield Pines Conservation Area. Duquesne students, under the leadership and mentoring of Adjunct Professor Ed Schroth, provided much needed water quality and biotic assessments of Chartiers Creek, existing ponds and of the abandon mine drainage treatment system that ALT constructed in 2009. The invaluable data collected by the students is included in the reports that ALT provides to the PA Department of Environmental Protection and Army Corps of Engineers. Students benefit by receiving real-life experience and ALT benefits by this volunteer work that ALT would otherwise have to pay for. Duquesne University Monitoring Ecological Organisms
- 25. Chemical Testing What science does Duquesne measure as water flows through the Wingfield ecosystem; Dissolved Oxygen Conductivity Temperature pH Alkalinity Turbitiy Biological Diversity www.alleghenylandtrust.org/properties/wingfield/science/index.html
- 26. Plankton was collected in March 2010 from the Wingfield A. M. D. ponds using a zooplankton net. 15ml samples were taken back to the laboratories at Duquesne University for identification @ 100X and 400X microscopes. Data was analyzed to determine the ratio values for species richness. Using Plankton to Illustrate Succession MARCH 2010
- 28. HYDROSPERE A Water System which Illustrates Succession in Action At Wingfield Pines we have the opportunity to observe and measure aquatic succession which starts with Abandoned Mine Drainage which then runs through a series of ponds and wetlands. Each transitional step of Biological succession is then visual and can be documented. Pond Pond 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 Source Pond 1 Pond 2 Pond 3 Pond 4 Pond 5 Wetland pH Average pH Average pH
- 29. Month Month 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 DegreesinFahrenheit Air and Water Temperature Over Time Air Wetland Water
- 30. Year Year Pond Wetlands Chartiers Creek 2013
- 31. 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 mg/L Temperature(F) Water Temperature vs. Dissolved Oxygen Over Time Water Temp.
- 32. Certain species of macroinvertebrates have differing levels of tolerance to pollution. Concurrent with the changes in flowing watershed system, Benthic macroinvertebrates are used as indicators of changes associated with a gradient threshold.
- 33. Aquatic macroinvertebrates found within Wingfield
- 34. Fish Migration within Wingfield Pines 20062013 Creek Chub Green Sunfish White Sucker Common Carp Mosquitofish
- 35. Sampling Fish at Wingfield Pines (2012)
- 36. Wingfield Dedication Programs that encourage and facilitate outreach into nonscientific communities need to become a standard part of every university and science-based industrial establishment. Environmental decisions that are made in a democracy will always be highly politicized, but it is crucial that citizens have the opportunity to learn what science knows and how that knowledge has been gained. Now in the 21st Century scientists must vigorously reach out to their communities, informing them not only about their new discoveries, but also about the path they took to get there.
- 38. Chara spp., called Muskgrass Description • Chara look like rooted, aquatic plants, but are actually a form of algae. • Muskgrass is native to Pennsylvania but is invasive and a common nuisance problem in alkaline ponds. • Chara prefers alkaline, hard water ponds. • The ridged branches of Chara are encrusted with calcium carbonate, giving it a gritty feeling. • Chara also has a musty odor when crushed, giving it the common name of “muskgrass.”
- 39. Muskgrass Muskgrass now completely covers most of Ponds 4 and 5 and a large portion of the wetland The muskgrass is a very good filter and it’s effective at the removal of Fe solids However, the muskgrass contributes to preferential flow patterns and likely contributes to poorer treatment in winter months www.pubs.cas.psu.edu/freep ubs/pdfs/xh0034.pdf
- 40. Muskrat and Beaver Muskrats and beaver have created significant problems since Wingfield’s introduction Muskrats are the current issue facing Wingfield Pines Burrowing, damming, and feeding activities have impacted vegetation growth, channel flow, and berm stability Muskrat burrows can cause erosion of banks and berms around the ponds and wetland areas
- 41. Muskrat Borrow Muskrat Lodge Beaver Dam Beaver Baffles
- 42. Current Impact of Muskrats • Herbivory of wetland vegetation creates less filtration of Fe particles • Lodge formation creates channelization of water flow • Burrows create tripping hazards throughout park and impact berm stability Areas in red are damages caused by muskrat activity
- 43. Effluent Iron (Total) 2009 2013
- 45. Thank You WingField Pines Edward F. Schroth schrothe@verizon.net Adjunct Faculty Duquesne University Bayer School of Natural Sciences