Colchester Remediation Pilot Project
of a Degraded Tributary
April 2019 - June 2020
Project Description
This project aimed to remediate both E.coli and phosphorus from a degraded tributary through saprophytic mycofiltration of logs, socks, and riparian buffer plantings; comparing treatments with and without mycorrhizal fungi.
Focus: watershed health restoration
Involved: install of fungal hugelcultures & mycorrhizally plantings of native riparian species on town-owned buffers in the Smith Hollow Brook sub watershed; testing, monitoring, documentation throughout.
Project aims: to determine whether these strategies uptake phosphorus and/or degrade Escherichia coli (E.coli), in waterways deemed impaired by VT DEC.
Partners: The Colchester Stormwater Utility partnered with MycoEvolve
Research questions:
- Do mycorrhizal riparian buffers reduce Phosphorus concentrations in the waterway?
- Do Trametes versicolor (Turkey Tail), Lentinula edodes (Shitake) reduce E.coli?
- Can this green infrastructure handle effectively large inundations in spring & fall?
- What is the filter efficacy for different size storms?
- Are there seasonal variations in filter efficacy?
Spawn source: VT Myconode (now MycoLab), Mushroom Mountain & Smug Town
Team: Karen Adams, Dr. Joshua Faulkner, Jason McCune-Sanders, Jess Rubin, Lauren Weston, Dr. Josef Gorres, Leif Olson, Sue Van Hook, Mary Robideau & volunteers
Involved: install of fungal hugelcultures & mycorrhizally plantings of native riparian species on town-owned buffers in the Smith Hollow Brook sub watershed; testing, monitoring, documentation throughout.
Project aims: to determine whether these strategies uptake phosphorus and/or degrade Escherichia coli (E.coli), in waterways deemed impaired by VT DEC.
Partners: The Colchester Stormwater Utility partnered with MycoEvolve
Research questions:
- Do mycorrhizal riparian buffers reduce Phosphorus concentrations in the waterway?
- Do Trametes versicolor (Turkey Tail), Lentinula edodes (Shitake) reduce E.coli?
- Can this green infrastructure handle effectively large inundations in spring & fall?
- What is the filter efficacy for different size storms?
- Are there seasonal variations in filter efficacy?
Spawn source: VT Myconode (now MycoLab), Mushroom Mountain & Smug Town
Team: Karen Adams, Dr. Joshua Faulkner, Jason McCune-Sanders, Jess Rubin, Lauren Weston, Dr. Josef Gorres, Leif Olson, Sue Van Hook, Mary Robideau & volunteers
Resources
Final Report available upon request.
