Construction of the Fairview wetland is scheduled to be complete in the spring of 1998. There are five components, which are described below.
Sediment pond: The sediment pond collects organic material and larger sediment particles. It is large enough to provide water storage. This storage allows the system to operate and the plants to survive in times of drought, and when there is no irrigation occurring. This is particularly important during the plant establishment period. The flow out of the sediment pond comes from the surface, and its rate is controlled. No plantings are required for treatment purposes; however, vegetation may be used on the banks to control erosion.
Primary filter: The water in this component enters from the sediment pond. The primary filter removes finer sediments and a large portion of the dissolved nitrogen. It is divided into four identical cells. Each cell has independent flow regulation and a gated pipe spreader. The outlets from the primary filter sections are free-flow. Plants spacing is 0.3 m. This component contains the following species: 1/4 Creeping Spikebrush (Eleocharis palustris), 1/4 Baltic Rush (Juncus balticus), and 1/4 Nebraska Sedge (Carex nebrascensis), with 1/4 planted to Garrison Creeping Foxtail as a standard for comparison.
Shallow wetland: This component is also divided into four cells. Each cell is successively lower in elevation. Water for these cells comes from the sediment pond, any primary filter cell, or any other shallow wetland cell that is higher in elevation. Water leaves each cell over a spillway with height adjustable from 0 to 0.5 m. This maintains shallow water and saturated soil conditions. In the shallow wetland, aquatic plants and microorganisms remove nitrates, ammonia, and undesirable bacteria. Plant spacing is 0.5 m. Two cells contain the following species: 1/2 Hardstem Bulrush (Scirpus acutus), and 1/2 Common Cattail (Typha latifolia). The other two cells are planted to 1/4 Common Threesquare (S. Pungens), 1/4 Hardstem Bulrush (Scirpus acutus), 1/4 Common Cattail (Typha latifolia), and 1/4 Creeping Spikebrush (Eleocharis palustris).
Deep water pond: There is a provision for dividing the deep water pond into two independent sections by installation of a floating curtain. Water entering the deep water pond comes from the sediment pond, any primary filter cell, any shallow wetland cell, or any combination thereof. Water exits from the deep water pond over two spillways, regulating its depth between 1 and 3 m. This deeper water prevents rooted plant growth and provides a limnetic ecosystem for dissolved nutrient and very fine sediment removal. The pond is planted with Sago Pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus).
Final filter: This section is a more natural design in that it is not perfectly leveled, and it is designed to accommodate a large diversity of plant types. Water for the final filter comes from any previous element in the system. The water flows through a gated pipe spreader and will receive some aeration if desired. The final filter is divided into two cells. The flow from the outlet is unregulated and directly enters the reservoir. Plant spacing is 0.5 m. The plant community is: Hardstem Bulrush (Scripus acutus), Alkali Bulrush (S. maritimus), Common Threesquare (S. pungens), Common Cattail (Typha latifolia), Creeping Spikebrush (Eleocharis palustris), Baltic Rush (Juncus balticus), and Nebraska Sedge (Carex nebrscensis). Additional native wetland species may be planted depending upon availability.