city of the sun wastewater lagoon
    sludge sampling - laguna encantada news - permit reports - water bills

        current - archive 2008/06 2008/05


Discharge Permit Reports & Data for New Mexico Environment Dept

  Analytical Lab Reports

  Lagoon O & M Reports

  COS Water Meters


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COS Lagoon Analytical Lab Reports

  Lab Test (method id)  typical results for domestic ww  (method detection limit)
  Sample date/time (local 24h)
       2003 Nov  2004 Apr  2004 Oct  2005 Apr  2005 Oct  2006 Apr  2006 Oct  2007 Apr  2007 Oct  2008 Apr   Jun 5   Oct 1
       19 13:15   8 10:00  19 08:00      -     10 09:00   5 09:30   4 12:30  12 09:00   9 09:05  14 10:00   10:00   10:30

Lagoon pond (grab sample)

  Nitrate/Nitrite as N (353.2)  typical 0-1 mg/L  (MDL 0.02 mg/L)
            0        0.07       0        -         0.21      0.21      0.14      0.05      0.07      0.05    0.35    0.10 mg/L
  Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen TKN (351.2)  typical 10-30 mg/L  (MDL 0.3 mg/L)
          59.2      16.3      11.5       -        60.1      36.5      43.9      23.1      57.3      32.1    57.5    29.4 mg/L

  Total Dissolved Solids TDS (SM 2540C)  typical 800-1000 mg/L  (MDL 27 mg/L)
         4101      2494      3651        -       4670      3037      2174      1974      4088        -     5742    2352 mg/L
  Chloride (4500-Cl_D)  typical ?  (MDL 0.5 mg/L)
         524.6     292.6     416.7       -       541.0     324.4     271.7     196.7     439.5       -     678.6   302.8 mg/L

  Total Phosphorus (EPA 200.7)  typical 1-2 mg/L  (MDL 0.05 mg/L)
           -         -         -         -         -         -         -         -         -         9.49 mg/L  (see notes)
  Ammonium as N (350.1)  typical ?  (MDL 0.04 mg/L)
           -         -         -         -         -         -         -         -         -         3.82 mg/L






Monitoring well (grab sample)

  Water depth   normally there should be some groundwater to sample  (see notes)
          dry       dry       dry        -        dry       dry       dry       dry       dry       dry      mud     dry?
                                                                                                                          
       2003 Nov  2004 Apr  2004 Oct  2005 Apr  2005 Oct  2006 Apr  2006 Oct  2007 Apr  2007 Oct  2008 Apr    Jun     Oct


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Notes:

The COS lagoon is a single totally contained evaporative facultative pond
  with no effluent, and is not a typical domestic wastewater system.
  Typical test results are quoted here for reference, from NM Env's 2005
  Wastewater Systems Operator Certification Study Manual, Chapter 1 (327k pdf).
  Results less than the method detection limit (MDL) are shown as zero,
  no test as "-".

Lagoon pond & monitoring well grab samples by Archy Heddlesten, analytical
  testing by NMSU Soil Water Agricultural Testing Lab.  Data summarized here
  by request of the COS membership, and excerpted from NMSU SWAT Lab reports
  without their permission or verification.  Please see the original reports
  for full details and conditions.

2005 April test results - no test done, according to Maya.

2006 Oct 4 test results - Bob quit sometime during the summer, Chris started
  applying activated EM again in the fall (1-2 gals/week).

2007 Jun 19 - Susan Maupin from NMRWA sampled sludge for our permit renewal.
  According to her report, the sludge was 4-6 inches deep, black grainy sticky,
  no odor, indicating good digestion.  (also see photos)

2007 Jun 20 - Naomi Davidson & Kathie Deal from NM Env checked the monitoring well.
  It's 206 feet deep, with 10(?) feet of water (Archy said it's probably from the
  heavy monsoons, and that all of his regular semi-annual tests have been dry).

2007 Oct 9 test results - Grab sample from a different location in the pond than
  usual, immediately after a large and toxic RV-tank dump by a visitor.

2008 Apr 14 test results - Some wrong tests requested from NMSU SWAT Lab - Ammonia
  & Phosphorus instead of the usual TDS & Chloride.  (Despite this mixup, i'm
  curious how our phosphorus levels compare with "typical" wastewater, and would
  also like to see an analysis for fluorides and heavy metals, which are abundant
  in the local ground water.  Since our lagoon is totally contained, i'm surprised
  anything could be alive in there after 35+ years of evaporative concentration,
  but we've got plenty of benign micro-organisms, migratory birds, and even a
  couple of turtles happily splashing about!  I guess nature is pretty tough :)

2008 May 28 - Naomi Davidson & John Rebar from NM Env inspected the monitoring
  well casing with a small video camera on a very long cable.  The well should
  normally contain a few feet of groundwater, which needs to be sampled and
  tested for possible contamination by lagoon leakage.  Our monitoring well may
  have been installed incorrectly, conclusion pending further investigation...

2008 Jun 5 test results - Grab sample from side of pond opposite influent pipe,
  about 8 feet from the edge, and 6 inches under the surface half-way down to
  bottom sludge, by Chris with an extension pole.  Previously, samples have
  been taken from the pond surface right at the influent pipe, not the best
  location.  We're hoping that this new sampling method will more accurately
  represent overall conditions in the entire pond.  NM Env has requested four
  samples per year, so it won't take long to get a better picture...

2008 Oct 1 test results - Grab sample by Chris, same method & pond location.
  We don't yet have proper equipment to measure & sample the monitoring well...
  No audible splash from dropping in a pebble (the "archy method") a few times.


[ top  lab  notes  o&m  water ]

COS Lagoon Operations & Maintenance

date - weather - operator
  color (dark / pea green, brown, grey, other)
    odor (algae-like, earthy, septic, none, other)
    freeboard (of 5 feet maximum pond depth), em (microbial culture)
  comments (scum debris sludge foam algae pond-veg woody-shrubs weeds
    insects burrowing erosion seepage shorting fence signs monitor-well)


2007 jan 28 - sunny - chris v
  color dark green, odor medium algae-like, freeboard 2 ft, em 1-2 gal/week
  work party cleaned up weeds, raked out debris, scum, underwater dead weeds

2007 may 15 - sunny windy - chris v
  color dark green, odor low algae-like, freeboard 3 ft, em 2 gal/week
  woody shrubs & weeds, burrowing, erosion, fence needs minor repairs
  raked out debris & some weeds

2007 jun 16 - sunny clear hot - chris v
  color dark green, odor low algae-like, freeboard 3 ft, em 2 gal/week
  work party cleaned up woody shrubs & weeds, minor fence repairs
  signs of burrowing animals

2007 jul 14 - sunny hot - chris v
  color dark green, odor low algae-like, freeboard 3 ft, em 2 gal/week
  raked out debris, excessive algae - applied max em (4 gal/week) ok
  work party repaired some fence posts, filled holes under fence
  woody shrubs & weeds, burrowing, erosion - another work party needed...

2007 aug 18 - sunny windy - chris v
  color pea green, odor low algae-like, freeboard 3 ft, em 2 gal/week
  raked out & agitated scum & debris
  excessive algae - increased em to 4 gal/week ok
  woody shrubs & weeds, burrowing, erosion - work party needed...

2007 sep 16 - sunny calm - chris v
  color medium green, odor low algae-like, freeboard 3 ft, em 2 gal/week ok
  woody shrubs & weeds, burrowing, erosion - work party needed...

2007 oct 20 - sunny windy - chris v
  color dark green, odor medium algae-like, freeboard 3 ft, em 1-2 gal/week
  scum, debris & floating sludge from large rv dump - raked & shredded, em 4 gal/week
  woody shrubs & weeds, burrowing, erosion - work party scheduled...

2007 oct 27 - sunny windy - chris v
  color dark green, odor low algae-like, freeboard 3 ft, em 2 gal/week
  work party cleaned up weeds & some woody shrubs, filled holes under fence
  dogs digging under fence - needs major improvement, proposal to board...
  long-term berm erosion - plan to plant native grasses, proposal to board...

2007 dec 2 - sunny windy cold - chris v
  color dark green, no odor, freeboard 2.5 ft, em 2 gal/week
  raked out some debris

2008 jan 6 - sunny windy cold - chris v
  color dark green, no scum no odor, freeboard 2.5 ft, em 2 gal/week

2007 feb 16 - sunny cold - chris v
  color dark green, no odor, freeboard 2 ft, em 2 gal/week
  raked out some debris

2008 mar 21 - sunny windy cold - chris v
  color dark green, no scum no odor, freeboard 2 ft, em 2 gal/week

2008 mar 30 - sunny windy warmer - chris v
  color light brown, odor very low earthy, freeboard 2.5 ft, em 4 gal/week
  someone dumping extra 1-2000 gals per day? - got sample, checked well meter...
  raked out debris, work party finished cleaning up weeds & woody shrubs

2008 apr 14 - sunny windy warmer - chris v
  color light brown, odor very low algae-like, freeboard 2.5 ft, em 4 gal/week ok
  (archy said seasonal temp change is causing normal vertical circulation in pond)
  (after 2 weeks, brown sample in airtight glass jar turned into green slime, ok)

2008 may 17 - sunny/cloudy windy humid - chris v
  color medium green, odor low algae-like, freeboard 3 ft, em 2 gal/week
  dogs digging under fence - needs major improvement, proposal to board...
  long-term berm erosion - plan to plant native grasses, proposal to board...

2008 jun 5 - sunny windy - chris v
  color medium green, odor low algae-like, freeboard 3.5 ft, em 2 gal/week
  grab sample taken about 8 ft from east edge and 6 inches below surface

2008 jun 15-16 - sunny calm hot! - chris v
  color dark green, odor medium algae-like, pond level almost too low
  added 8100 gallons of irrigation water, freeboard from 4 ft to 3.75 ft

2008 jun 20-22 - windy! dust & rain storms! - chris v
  added 17800 gallons of irrigation water, freeboard from 3.8 ft to 3.4 ft

2008 jun 26-29 - hot cloudy humid windy, dust & rain storms! - chris v
  added 11320 gallons of irrigation water, freeboard from 3.6 ft to 3.3 ft
  color dark green/brown, odor medium algae-like, em 4 gal/week ok

2008 jul 6 - windy, dust & rain storms - chris v
  color dark/pea green, odor low algae-like, freeboard 3.1 ft, em 2 gal/week

2008 jul 18 - sunny/rainy windy hot - chris v
  color dark/pea green, odor very low algae-like, freeboard 2.9 ft

2008 aug 4 - cloudy/rainy calm hot! - chris v
  color pea green, odor low algae-like, freeboard 2.8 ft
  large cranes, many dragonflies, 2-3 turtles observed, nice thin carpet
  of vegetation all over banks from light steady rains, shallow non-woody-
  rooted annual indigenous weeds, a few patches of wild native grasses of
  various species (hopefully natural erosion-control?), further ident of
  some plants needed...

2008 aug 30 - cloudy cool rainy - chris v
  color dark green, odor none, no scum, freeboard 2.75 ft
  a very few tumbleweeds & new perennial bushy/woody weeds showing up,
  time to call a work party...
 
2008 oct 1 - sunny calm warm - chris v
  color dark green, odor low algae-like, no scum, freeboard 2.9 ft
  grab sample taken about 8 ft from east edge and 6 inches below surface

2008 oct 11 - cloudy windy - chris v
  color dark green, odor low algae-like, freeboard 2.8 ft

2008 oct 27 - sunny calm warm - chris v
  color dark brown, odor algae-like, some scum, freeboard 2.9 ft, em 2 gal/week


[ top  lab  notes  o&m  water ]

COS Water Meters




2006 water meters                  columbus                     east well              west well    
date    read by  days      meter      gals     gpd      meter      gals     gpd      meter    gals

2005 dec 28  fn            5378600                      2939200                      737170
2006 jan 30  fn    33      5559000   180400   5467      2950600    11400    345      737170      0
2006 feb 27  fn    28      5662700   103700   3704      2952700     2100     75      737170      0
2006 mar 30  fn    31      5774600   111900   3610      2961800     9100    294      737170      0
2006 apr 28  fn    29      5907800   133200   4593      2970000     8200    283
2006 may 30  fn    32      6047500   139700   4366      2997000    27000    844
2006 jun 26  fn    27      6187800   140300   5196      3014600    17600    652
2006 jul 30  fn    34      6317300   129500   3809      3031600    17000    500
2006 aug 29  fn    30      6413200    95900   3197      3038100     6500    217
2006 sep       
2006 oct 26  fn    58      6557500   144300   2488      3048200    10100    174
2006 nov 24  fn    29      6632000    74500   2569      3051400     3200    110
2006 dec 26  fn    32      6714300    82300   2572      3054700     3300    103      737170      0
                                                                                                    
2006 total        363               1335700   3680                115500    318                  0



2007 water meters                  columbus                     east well              west well    
date    read by  days      meter      gals     gpd      meter      gals     gpd      meter    gals

2007 jan 27  fn    32      6867200   152900   4778      3056400     1700     53
2007 feb 28  fn    32      6957200    90000   2812      3059700     3300    103
2007 mar 30  fn    30      7074800   117600   3920      3139500    79800   2660
2007 apr 30  fn    31      7172400    97600   3148      3159800    20300    655
2007 may 30  fn    30      7294100   121700   4057      3155800    -4000   -133 (as recorded)
2007 jun 30  fn    31      7421000   126900   4094      3177600    21800    703
2007 jul 30  fn    30      7583800   162800   5427      3186100     8500    283
2007 aug 29  fn    30      7725400   141600   4720      3200200    14100    470      737170      0
2007 sep 28  fn    30      7860600   135200   4507      3210700    10500    350
2007 oct 29  fn    31      8001000   140400   4529      3276300    65600   2116
2007 nov 27  fn    29      8060400    59400   2048      3279600     3300    114
2008 jan 5   fn    39      8157000    96600   2477      3285700     6100    156
                                                                                                    
2007 total        375               1442700   3847                231000    616                  0



2008 water meters                  columbus                     east well              west well    
date    read by  days      meter      gals     gpd      meter      gals     gpd      meter    gals

2008 jan 26  fn    21      8230700    73700   3510      3318300    32600   1552
2008 feb 27  fn    32      8325300    94600   2956      3347600    29300    916
2008 mar 27  fn    29      8466700   141400   4876      3373300    25700    886
2008 mar 30  cv     3                                   3375127     1827    609
2008 may 5   fn    36      8586900   120200   3082      3417700    42573   1183      737170      0
2008 may 26  fn    21      8679000    92100   4386      3452700    35000   1667
2008 jun 27  fn    32      8833200   154200   4819      3533100    80400   2513
2008 jul 31  fn    34      8968100   134900   3968      3601100    68000   2000
2008 aug 26  fn    26      9056400    88300   3396      3650400    49300   1896
2008 sep 26  fn    31      9177900   121500   3919      3699000    48600   1568      737170      0
                                                                                                    
2008 to-date      265               1020900   3852                413300   1560                  0


total water meters                 columbus                     east well              west well    
2006-8           1003               3799300   3788                759800    758                  0
                 days                  gals    gpd                  gals    gpd               gals



(for Columbus water before 2006, see COS Water Bills)


[ top  lab  notes  o&m  water ]