Development of phosphorus loading control strategies for urbanizing watersheds

磷负荷和加速的富营养化对人类和环境健康产生负面影响，并产生重大的潜在经济影响。 据报告，加拿大几个地区藻类大量繁殖的频率增加，城市和农村非点源的磷负荷被怀疑是主要原因。水系统内营养状态的变化影响了将水资源用于娱乐目的的能力，增加了水处理成本，并降低了水生生物多样性。目前，仅基于对磷负荷的关注，加拿大几个地区的新开发受到限制。在城市化流域内，雨水可能是受纳水体磷的主要来源。处理湿地已被确定为一种可能的工具，减少磷负荷从城市雨水，由于其低维护要求，弹性和美观。然而，有显着的知识差距，雨水湿地内的磷的命运，特别是在凉爽的气候。该研究项目的短期目标是确定雨水处理湿地的磷截留机制，并开发创新的设计和操作方法，可用于优化凉爽气候湿地系统的磷去除。该研究计划将涉及控制实验室实验，实地研究，涉及全规模的雨水湿地系统，并开发一个新的，凉爽的气候，基于过程的湿地模型。 研究活动将集中在一个湿地系统，该系统接收来自哈利法克斯一个新的城市开发项目的雨水，该项目将作为一个“生命实验室”。 学生的多样性将在博士，硕士和本科水平的培训，并将获得使用国家的最先进的环境监测仪器的经验。这项研究将导致开发工具和设计建议，可直接用于雨水工程师和市政规划师，以确保保护宝贵的水生资源。**

Phosphorus loading and accelerated eutrophication have negative effects on human and environmental health, and significant potential economic impacts. Increases in the frequency of algal blooms has been reported in several regions of Canada, with phosphorus loading from non-point urban and rural sources as suspected primary causes. Changes in trophic state within a water system influences the ability to use the water resource for recreational purposes, increases water treatment costs, and degrades aquatic biodiversity. Restrictions are currently being placed on new development in several regions of Canada based solely on phosphorus loading concerns. Within urbanizing watersheds, stormwater can be a major source of phosphorus to receiving water bodies. Treatment wetlands have been identified as a possible tool for mitigating phosphorus loading from urban stormwater due to their low maintenance requirements, resiliency, and aesthetic appeal. However, there are significant knowledge gaps with respect to the fate of phosphorus within stormwater wetlands, especially in cool climates. The short term goals of this research program are to identify mechanisms of phosphorus retention with stormwater treatment wetlands, and develop innovate design and operation approaches that can be used to optimize phosphorus removal in cool climate wetland systems. The research program will involve controlled laboratory experiments, field studies involving full scale stormwater wetland systems, and the development of a new, cool climate, process-based wetland model. The research activities will focus on a wetland system receiving stormwater from a new urban development in Halifax, that will serve as a "Living Laboratory". A diversity of students will be trained at the doctoral, masters and undergraduate levels, and will gain experience using state-of-the-art environmental monitoring instruments. This research will lead to the development of tools and design recommendations that can be directly used by stormwater engineers and municipal planners to ensure protection of valuable aquatic resources. **