Spring is the time of the year when unmixed lagoons turn over, so it’s also the time of the year when operators (and local residents) are concerned about wastewater lagoon odor control. Although spring lagoon turnover and its accompanying odors may be normal and expected, that doesn’t mean they are tolerated. Learn what causes lagoons to turn over and what can be done to mitigate odor. What causes lagoon turnover? An unmixed wastewater lagoon will settle into layers, with denser, cooler water at the bottom and lighter, warmer water at the top. This is known as thermal stratificatio ..read more

It’s spring! The snow is melting, the birds are chirping, and all the solids that settled to the bottom of the wastewater lagoon over the winter are getting dislodged, releasing sludge and gases that create spring lagoon odors. For many municipalities, the spring and fall lagoon turnovers with their accompanying foul odors are just signs of the season. Some towns have chosen to live with the semiannual turnover and odor complaints, as the alternative—replacing an otherwise effective lagoon system with a multimillion-dollar mechanical plant—stinks even worse. One possible solution that may see ..read more

October is here—time for football, apple cider, falling leaves, and seasonal lagoon turnover. Although less extreme than the spring transition, autumn’s cooler temperatures cause destratification and may trigger lagoon turnover and corresponding odors. In this short article, we’ll talk about the causes of fall lagoon odor and how to prevent it. What Is Seasonal Lagoon Turnover? An improperly mixed wastewater lagoon will settle into layers during summer, with denser, cooler water at the bottom and warmer water at the top, which is known as thermal stratification. This thermal stratifica ..read more

Spring is in the air, and for some wastewater lagoons, that means foul odors are in the air, too. Google “spring lagoon stench” and you’ll see articles from local newspapers across the country, each reassuring readers that the foul lagoon odors they experience every spring are “normal” and will soon pass. While spring lagoon stench may be normal, is it inevitable, or can it be prevented? In this short article, we’ll discuss the causes of spring lagoon odors and what can be done to prevent them. (more ..read more

October is here—time for football, pumpkins, falling leaves, and seasonal lagoon turnover. Although less extreme than the spring transition, autumn’s cooler temperatures cause destratification and may trigger lagoon turnover and corresponding odors. In this short article, we’ll talk about the causes of seasonal lagoon turnover and how to prevent it. What Is Seasonal Lagoon Turnover? An improperly mixed wastewater lagoon will settle into layers during summer, with denser, cooler water at the bottom and warmer water at the top, which is known as thermal stratification. This thermal strati ..read more

It’s autumn again—time for football, apple cider, falling leaves, and wastewater lagoon turnover. Although less extreme than the spring transition, cooler fall temperatures cause destratification and may trigger lagoon turnover. In this short article, we’ll talk about causes of lagoon turnover and how to prevent it. What Is Autumn Lagoon Turnover? An improperly mixed wastewater lagoon will settle into layers during summer, with denser, cooler water at the bottom and warmer water at the top, which is known as thermal stratification. This thermal stratification can lead to lagoon short-circuit ..read more

It’s wintertime, the season when a wastewater lagoon is most likely to short circuit due to the disparity between the influent wastewater temperature and the ambient lagoon temperature. In a previous article, Four Causes of Wastewater Lagoon Short Circuit, we defined what short circuiting is and what causes it. In this article, we’ll cover how to diagnose it and what to do about it. How to diagnose lagoon short circuit A short circuiting problem is usually discovered when testing reveals high levels of BOD or TSS in the effluent. There are several methods of determining if short circuiti ..read more

Wastewater Lagoon Turnover is the final installment of our 3-part blog series discussing the side effects of summer heat on wastewater lagoons. Our first installment focused on Lagoon Algae Control while our second installment focused on Lagoon Odor. Lagoon turnover is when the sludge and water from the bottom of the lagoon rises to the top. Since the bottom of the lagoon is often where solids and less-oxygenated water tend to be, this can create a problematic situation for the rest of the lagoon. Here’s the how and why… Why lagoon turnover happens during the summer: Low levels of DO (dissol ..read more