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Cost Function for the Removal of Aquatic Plants

Cost Functions

Aquatic plants, such as the water hyacinth, grow on the surface of reservoirs and ponds. These plants grow by consuming the nutrients in water, where nitrogen and phosphorus stand out. Approximately, each gram of phosphorus consumed can make 100 g of water hyacinth grow, while 16 g of nitrogen can make the same amount. Additionally, 1 m2 can contain 20 kg of water hyacinth, and removing one hectare of the plant costs 54 dollars. With these relationships, it is possible to construct the cost function from the retained nitrogen or phosphorus load, considering that, depending on the source conditions, one of these two nutrients can limit the growth of the water hyacinth.

Función de costos para retiro de buchón (1)

This results in the following equations for both reservoir and Pondage:

Función de costos para retiro de buchón (2)

Considering that the reservoir and pondage areas are 10 ha and 5 ha respectively and that the frequency in which this process is carried out in the year is semiannual, the equations expressed in terms of load would be given as follows:

Función de costos para retiro de buchón (3)

Therefore, the final equations would be:

Función de costos para retiro de buchón (4)

 

Bibliography

  1. Water Resources and Environment Technical Note G.4 Management of Aquatic Plants Water Resources and Environment Technical Note G.4 Davis, R., Hirji, R., THE WORLD BANK 2003

    The Notes are intended for use by those without specific training in water resources management such as technical specialists, policymakers and managers working on water sector related investments within the Bank; practitioners from bilateral, multilateral, and nongovernmental organizations; and public and private sector specialists interested in environmentally sustainable water resources management

  2. Utilización de macrófitas acuáticas para la remoción de nutrientes y metales en aguas destinadas al consumo humano - caso planta de tratamiento de Tibitoc Rodríguez, D. 2004

    Use of aquatic macrophytes for the removal of nutrients and metals in water intended for human consumption

  3. Evaluación de la degradación natural de la especie Eichhornia crassipes (Buchón) para el Embalse del Muña Ramírez, S., Universidad de los Andes - Colombia 2005

    Graduation project

References

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