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Abstracts for papers on Effluent Disposal Modelling

SHORT, D.L., O'LOUGHLIN, E.M., and DAWES, W.R. (1990): Simulating the design and operation of absorption trenches for effluent disposal. In Proceedings of the 1990 Australian Institution of Engineers Conference on Hydraulics in Civil Engineering. Nat. Conf. Publ., No. 90/4, pp. 79-83.

A computer model was used to optimise the design of an absorption trench system for disposal of sewage effluent. The model predicts how soil water is redistributed in hillslopes by lateral subsurface flows, and the behaviour of areas prone to waterlogging under combined inputs of rainfall and downslope flow from the trenches. The design constraint for the trench layout was the need to avoid surface saturation due to exfiltrating effluent. The model was used to optimise the layout, and to specify the capacity of a holding reservoir necessary to store effluent during prolonged wet periods.

ARYAL, S.K., O'LOUGHLIN, E.M. and VERTESSY, R.A. (1993): Hydrological and environmental impacts of effluent disposal using absorption trenches on a hillslope. In: Proceedings of IWRA International Conference on Environmentally Sound Water Resources Utilisation, Bangkok, Thailand, 8-11 November 1993, Vol. 1, pp. 49-56.

A hydrologically and environmentally sound method for the design of absorption trenches in hilly terrain has been developed. The design is based on the criterion of preventing soil profile saturation due to percolating effluent and drainage of subsurface flow. This eliminates the possibility of surface washoff of contaminated water into watercourses. The surface saturation criterion takes into account soil, terrain and climatic factors. A user friendly spreadsheet program has been written to design the trenches and select a suitable layout at any site where evaporation generally exceeds rainfall.

ARYAL, S.K., O'LOUGHLIN, E.M. and VERTESSY, R.A. (1994): Design of effluent disposal systems using absorption trenches on a hillslope. In: Proceedings of the 1994 Australian Institution of Engineers Conference on Hydraulics in Civil Engineering, Brisbane, 15-17 February 1994.

The hydrological and environmental impacts of effluent disposal using absorption trenches on a hillslope were studied. On the basis of experiments involving and extensive network of instruments and soil chemical analyses, it was found that there were no adverse effects on the hillslope. Neither surface saturation due to moisture build up nor excessive residual nutrient accumulation in the soil was observed, which led to the conclusion that such disposal systems can be designed to be environmentally and hydrologically safe.