In 2007 at Whitecourt and Ohaton, Alberta, the Willow Biomass Project was created.  The project involves irrigating woody species with wastewater and using the biomass to produce either heat or electricity. Bioenergy is an evolving area of research because it is a renewable form of energy. By using wastewater for irragation we are conserving water resources. When irrigating with saline water, like waste water, soil salinization can occur which reduces soil quality, limiting the longevity of the project.

The main objective of the study is to determine if irrigation with waste water is altering the soil quality by causing soil salinization.

Results show that irrigation with wastewater has varying results depending on the natural background conditions. On naturally saline, Solonetzic, soils, irrigation with wastewater decreased soil salinity and improved the soil qaulity. When applied to soil without a natural salinity, the wastewater has no effect.

This is a fictional project created as a learning tool for the class REN R 480 at the University of Alberta. The data used is fictional and not real, please do not replicate.

Contact Information:

Amy Gainer
[email protected]

Masters of Science in Soil Physics
Supervisors: Gary Kachanoski and Miles Dyck