Desalination of the Sea Around Us, Part I
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This is a talk on seawater desalination I gave in Seaside California on October 19th, 2010. It is divided in two parts. Part I contains information on seawater desalination and how the process can impact the marine environment. Part II provides specific examples of how brine discharged from these plants can affect species, especially eggs and developing young. It ends with an illustration of how water recycling could be a better long-term solution to our looming water crisis on the Monterey Peninsula and in the State of California.
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Desalination of the Sea Around Us, Part I
- 1. Desalination of The Sea Around Us Learn About – Desalination methods – Marine ecosystem impacts – Benefits of renewable water Tuesday, October 19 @ 6:30 pm Peace Resource Center 1364 Fremont Blvd, Seaside Sustainable Seaside presents Carol Reeb, Ph.D. Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University
- 2. Hello and thanks for joining me. This is a talk on seawater desalination I gave in Seaside California on October 19th, 2010. It is divided in two parts. Part I contains information on seawater desalination and how the process can impact the marine environment. Part II provides specific examples of how brine discharged from these plants can affect species, especially eggs and developing young. It ends with an illustration of how water recycling could be a better long-term solution to our looming water crisis on the Monterey Peninsula and in the State of California. Thank you for listening. C. Reeb
- 3. Part I Introduction Reverse Osmosis Desalination Environmental Impacts
- 4. Rachel CarsonRachel Carson The Sea Around Us, 1951The Sea Around Us, 1951
- 5. Water = Life
- 6. Photo: C. Reeb Water = Life
- 7. Desalination’s Future In California Redrawn from: Desalination, With a Grain of Salt: A California Perspective Cooley et al., 2006, Pacific Institute. 23 in State 8 around Monterey Bay 8 plants on Monterey Bay Desalination Plants
- 8. “California has a $46B a year ocean economy, the largest of the 50 states. There is hardly a job in our region that is not in some way connected to the ocean.” *Bill Monning, Julie Packard and Chuck Della Sala Guest Commentary, 8/22/10 Monterey Herald
- 9. Monterey Peninsula Herald May 27, 1932 Monterey Public Library Archives
- 10. …80 % of natural spawning grounds in the Sacramento River have been destroyed by mines, dams, and diversion of water for irrigation… March 17, 1921 Monterey Peninsula Herald May 27, 1932 Monterey Public Library Archives
- 11. …80 % of natural spawning grounds in the Sacramento River have been destroyed by mines, dams, and diversion of water for irrigation… March 17, 1921 Monterey Peninsula Herald May 27, 1932 Monterey Public Library Archives Monterey Salmon From: DIVISION OF FISH AND GAME OF CALIFORNIA 1928
- 12. Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2010/20100111_damremoval.html San Clemente Dam after heavy rains.
- 13. Desalination Method:Desalination Method: Reverse Osmosis (RO)Reverse Osmosis (RO)
- 14. Desalination Plant Desalination’s Environmental Impacts CO2 CO2 CO2 CO2 CO2 CO2 Ocean Acidification
- 17. Marina Coast’s Regional Water Project Layout Redrawn from the Regional Water Project’s EIR Desalination Facility Brine Outfall Intake Wells
- 18. Desalination Plant Desalination’s Environmental Impacts High Salt and Toxic Chemicals CO2 CO2 Brine D ischarge
- 19. Photos: L. Zeiberg Photo: NOAA/MBNMS 2010 Market Squid Eggs In Monterey Bay Eelpout
- 25. Reverse Osmosis (RO) Filtration RO Filters Photo: C. Reeb Sea salinities: Monterey Bay = 33 - 34 ppt Red Sea = 36 - 41 ppt Reverse Osmosis Brine = 62 - 70 ppt
- 26. Environmental Impacts:Environmental Impacts: Brine PlumesBrine Plumes From: Monterey Regional Water Project’s Environmental Impact Report, 2009
- 27. Brine Plume The Movie 5 mls of high salinity brine (62 ppt) was labeled with dye and discharged into a 20 gallon aquarium filled with seawater (34 ppt). Typical brine waste concentrations range from 60 – 70 ppt.
- 28. Brine Plume The Movie Brine does mix with ambient seawater…but the plume is sinking which suggests that mixing is incomplete.
- 29. Brine Plume The Movie Brine Field What impacts will a layer of brine have on marine species living on the seafloor?
- 30. Long-term Brine Accumulation in the Persian Gulf LIWA OASIS, ABU DHABI - “The Gulf is a closed system with little freshwater inflow. By excessively desalinating seawater, the Gulf states are killing off their main supply. The concentration of salt in Gulf seawater now stands at 45 grams per liter, above the 40-gram level at which desalination works efficiently, Mr. Dawoud said.“ Drawn from information in: Lattemann and Höpner. 2008. Environmental impact and impact assessment of seawater desalination. Desalination 220:1-15. Desalination Plants
- 31. Long-term Persistence of Red Tide in Monterey Bay 2007 Source: Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS) Elkhorn Slough
- 32. Red Tide Monterey Bay, a “Red Tide Incubator” Harmful algae and their potential impacts on desalination operations off southern California. Water Research 44(2010)385 – 416 Anthropogenic causes of jellyfish blooms and their direct consequences for humans: a review. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Vol. 350: 153–174, 2007 Red Tide off La Jolla, CA, 2005 Photo Credit: A. Diaz, Wikipedia Commons The catastrophic 2008-2009 red tide in the Arabian gulf region, with observations on the identification and phylogeny of the fish-killing dinoflagelate Cochlodinium polykrikoides. Harmful Algae 9 (2010) 163-172
- 33. Conclusions • Seawater Intake – Impingement/Entrainment • Mitigated by coastal wells. – Harmful Algae Blooms • Mitigated with coastal wells and regular water testing for toxins. • Brine Waste Discharge – High salt concentration is toxic to marine life • High velocity jet diffusers can help mixing. • Retention of brine along coast is poorly studied. – Toxic cleaning chemicals also suspended in brine • Effects are largely unknown.