Undergrad research assistant Ashlynn Young has helped us develop a technique for measuring organic matter the stormwater sediment samples that grad student Liz Cushman collected. People keep asking us how much organic matter is in the sediment — now we can answer. Not much. Preliminary results, show there was around 10% OM in the sediment from urban stormwater runoff. However, the OM rose to 50% after the stormwater passed through the bioswale.
The top picture shows sediment after OM burned off. The bottom picture shows pre burn. We burned off the filter too, which will make particle size counting a little easier.
Now we just need to decide how many more to analyze. We have a few left… and this picture is just a fraction. Liz collected hundreds of stormwater last summer and fall!
