~

Approximately 45% of the land that drains to the Nanticoke River is in agricultural production. For years, farmers have reduced runoff using vegetative buffers and cover crops.

Bioreactors are another great way to reduce harmful runoff.

~

Benefits of a Bioreactor:

– A proven technology 

– Requires little maintenance

– Uses very little farmable land

– Lasts up to 20 years 

– Can improve drainage effectiveness 

– Funding is available for design & installation

A wood chip bioreactor is basically a hole in the ground 20’ wide by 100’ long by 5’ deep, filled with wood chips.  The site is usually selected on the low edge of the farm field where the rainwater drains from the field into a ditch that feeds into a local waterway. Water from the farm is diverted into the bioreactor where a natural organic process takes place, removing 90% of the nitrates.  The rainwater with the nitrates filters through the carbon from the wood chips in this low oxygen environment, causing a reaction with bacteria that pulls the nitrates out of the water and turns them into harmless nitrogen gas.  (The air we typically breathe is 21% oxygen and 78% nitrogen.)

~   

~

We look forward to working with more farmers to implement on-the-ground projects that keep our waterways clean and our farming community profitable!

Page 1

Page 2

For a downloadable fact sheet, click here.