Senior Associate

Florida Successes of Polymer Enhanced Best Management

Practices (PEBMPs)Steven R. Iwinski

Environmental Scientist

March 16th, 2007

Bonita Springs

Highway 98

City or Orlando

Fort Pierce

Polk County

Highway 98 Beach and Sand Stabilization

Highway 98 Damage by Hurricane Dennis

July 2005 (Carabelle to Eastpoint)

Highway 98 Repair - Carabelle to Eastpoint

Erosion after initial repair required an industrial BMP that would work on beach sands

Polymer Enhanced Soft Armor Systems was chosen. After grading, compost was placed as an organic

layer

Jute matting was placed over the organic layer as a binding media for attachment

of the polymer, sand and soil

Jute matting was placed over the 14 miles or repair area. 50 pounds / acre

polymer application rate was used

Sod was placed over the polymer enhanced BMP

This polymer enhanced BMP offers ready access to the beach and has

shown extensive vehicle traffic

One year after placement shows no erosion or need for further repair. This area received a

tropical depression and a category 1 hurricane after initial installation

After 16 months, no erosion can be found over the 14 miles showing that beach sands can be

stabilized even under hurricane conditions

City or Orlando Demucking and Mud Removal

A PEBMP for mud removal from ponds. After determining the correct polymer type to use, the

polymer is applied using a leaf blower

Once applied, the polymer is mixed into the mud until thickening occurs

Testing for the correct polymer type and thickening is required for good performance

Thickened mud is easily handled and can be used as an erosion resistant cover material or top soil

The polymer enhanced mud greatly reduces erosion, increases stormwater quality and holds nutrients in the soil

Polymer enhanced thickened mud can greatly reduce operational cost while increasing growth potential of vegetation

Polk County Dewatering of Phosphate Clay

Bonnie Mine Road Project during the 2005 hurricane season developed large amounts

of water that required dewatering

Phosphitic clay from gypsum mining required two different polymer log types or duplex system in order

to produce the correct conditions for dewatering

Once mixing was complete with the logs the particulate formed was collected onto jute

matting within the open channel ditch system

Water having 800 NTU was reduced to less than 20 NTU at a 1000 GPM continuous flow rate

This photo shows the before and after water clarity of the dewatering treatment system

Fort Pierce Lake Worth Dewatering Project

Dewatering / mixing pipe showing clay specific polymer logs with jute matting. Contaminated water

from construction activity is pumped from the site into the mixing system.

With flow stopped, jute matting shows the clay attached to the matting that was

removed from the water

Water from the construction settling pond was pumped over the logs that reacted

throughout the entire pipe system

Near end of the reaction pipe shows clarified water at less than 20 NTU

Final discharge of clarified water discharged to Lake Worth. Absence of aquatic toxicity potential allows for a flow through system with no hazard to the environment

Bonita Springs Leitner Creek By-pass Canal

Leitner Creek By-pass Canal 4400’ long discharges to Estero Bay a OFW

(Outstanding Florida Waterbody).

OFWs are the most sensitive waters in the state of Florida requiring very effective BMPs

Yearly cleaning maintenance on this cannel produces ranges between 400-1000 NTU values

with background values being 5-13 NTU

A basket containing the precise polymer logs matched to the turbidity characteristics was used

as a mixing device to react with the turbidity

The basket was placed in the canal downstream from the work area to intercept the turbid water flow

As the turbid water flowed through the basket a low dosage of the polymer mix in the logs

reacted with the turbidity in the water

To prevent the reacted particles from escaping the canal, particle curtains were installed to attach the

particulate to the surface of the curtains

Reacted particles attach to the surface of the particle curtains while allowing the water to flow through the curtains

The combination of correct polymer selection and particle capture BMP can produce very clean

water meeting OFW requirements

The polymer enhanced BMP for this project maintained clear water

discharges with NTU values within OFW requirements

Polymer enhanced BMPs significantly reduce odor and increased water clarity resulting in

reduced complaints from area residents

Senior Associate

Reference Web Sites

www.stormwater.ucf.edu

www.siltstop.com

www.rhmooreassociates.com

www.riversofgrass.com