Technical Information

Recommended Plant Species

Islandscapes can grow almost anything - use your imagination and let your passion dictate your planting! Herb gardens, terrestrial flowers, shrubs and trees have all been grown on these incredible islands. Nourished by a steady supply of fresh water, bare plant roots are planted directly into specially prepared Islandscape Soil Blend, enough of which is Included with every island. As for choosing plants, there are now hard and fast rules, indigenous plants work well but so do a wide variety of species including the following:

Marginal Species: Willows - Cattails - Horsetail - Water Celery - Bluebells
Edible Species: Lettuce - Strawberry - Snap Peas- Zinnia - Basil
Ornamental Species: Amaryllis - African Violet - Water Iris ... and many more; experiment and have fun!

CASE STUDIES

Extensive research and testing are being conducted in the laboratory and in the field. This section provides summaries of our major studies and links to published research, which will provide insight into the specific properties of floating islands in the fields of water quality, habitat management, wave mitigation and erosion control.

FLOATING ISLANDS ENHANCE SALMONID RECOVERY BY CREATING ALTERNATIVE NESTING HABITAT FOR CASPIAN TERNS
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Location: Dutchy Lake, Oregon & Sheepy Lake, California, USA
Summary: Bird monitoring results have demonstrated that floating islands can provide secure nesting habitat for Caspian terns and other bird species in areas where no natural nesting habitat exists, and where construction of rock islands is not feasible. Two recent projects have enhanced recovery of salmonids (salmon and steelhead) by encouraging relocation of Caspian terns to areas far from where juvenile salmonids migrate. Floating islands offer a potentially effective habitat alternative to traditional rock islands if the water depth is greater than 18 inches, or if the water body cannot be drained for construction of a traditional island.

Latest Generation Floating Treatment Wetland Technology: Achieving Significant Nutrient Removal in Aerated Wastewater Lagoons
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Location: Rehberg Ranch Residential Subdivision, Billings, Montana USA
Summary: The following case study underscores the capabilities of Floating Island International’s (FII) patented floating treatment wetland (FTW) technology and its ability to clean water by significantly reducing nutrient levels. Constructed of post-consumer polymer fibers and vegetated with native plants, FTWs mimic the ability of natural wetlands to clean water by bringing a “concentrated wetland effect” to any water body–in this case, an aerated wastewater lagoon.

Demonstrating Treatment of Landfill Leachate Using Floating Treatment Wetland Technology
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Location: McLean’s Pit Landfill, Town of Greymouth, South Island, New Zealand
Summary: This case study summarizes initial results of the first field-scale application of Floating Island International’s patented floating treatment wetland (FTW) technology to treat landfill leachate. Constructed of post-consumer polymer fibers and vegetated with native plants, FTWs mimic the ability of natural wetlands to clean water by bringing a “concentrated wetland effect” to any water body–in this case, several treatment lagoons.

FLOATING ISLANDS OUTPERFORM CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS
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Location: Rehberg Ranch Residential Subdivision, Billings, Montana USA and McLean’s Pit Landfill, Greymouth, New Zealand
Summary: This case study compares treatment results from Floating Island International’s patented floating treatment wetland (FTW) technology (“floating islands”) with those from standard constructed wetlands. Constructed of post-consumer polymer fibers and vegetated with native plants, FTWs improve upon the ability of natural wetlands to purify water by bringing a “concentrated wetland effect” to any water body. In this study, results from treating municipal wastewater and landfill leachate with either FTWs or constructed wetlands were compared.

Floating Treatment Wetlands to Mitigate Lake Eutrophication: Enhanced Circulation and Nutrient Uptake Expand Fish Habitat
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Location: Research Lake near Shepherd, MT, USA
Summary: Simple, cost-effective water treatment strategies show the ability to transform agricultural effluent into world-class fish habitat. This case study discusses an ongoing experiment to monitor the efficacy of a floating treatment wetland (FTW) that incorporates air diffuser technology to lift and circulate water through floating stream beds within the FTW. This combination of FTW and efficient water circulation/aeration is trade-named Leviathan™, a model of BioHaven floating island, and represents a novel approach to address nutrient loading.

Early-Stage Floating Treatment Wetland Technology To Achieve Nutrient Removal in Aerated Facultative Wastewater Treatment Lagoons
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Location: Wiconisco Township, Pennsylvania, USA
Summary: Results of this case study illustrate the early stages of the FTW technology as passive installations with no integrated circulation or aeration. They represent the first steps in the progression of the FTW technology in wastewater treatment applications. As with any technology, early versions serve as the critical basis for refining and developing more advanced latest generation manifestations (see Rehberg Case Study).

Floating Treatment Wetlands May Remove BPA
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Location: Test Tanks, Billings, Montana USA
Summary: The following case study suggests that Floating Island International LLC’s (FII) patented floating treatment wetland (FTW) technology may have the ability to purify water by reducing concentrations of the endocrine disruptor, Bisphenol-A (BPA). Constructed of post-consumer polymer fibers and vegetated with native plants, FTWs mimic the ability of natural wetlands to clean water by bringing a “concentrated wetland effect” to any water body. It appears likely that a microbial biofilm growing on and around the FTW in this study degraded BPA below the initial concentration of 50 ng/L.

Floating Island Provides Bass Spawning Habitat
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Location: Elephant Butte, New Mexico USA
Summary: The New Mexico Bass Fishing Association's mission is to enhance bass fishing habitat and opportunities within the state. A subgroup of the association, Kids of the Southwest, undertook a project in 2009 to increase the bass population at Elephant Butte, NM. These youth partnered with the New Mexico Game and Fish Department, marina owners and other local interested parties after discovering a Floating Island International licensee, Floating Islands West, which has developed floating botanical gardens to increase fish and other wildlife habitat, along with providing water quality improvements.

Floating Treatment Wetlands Remove Propylene Glycol from Airport Stormwater
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Location: Bangor, ME, USA
Summary: The following case study demonstrates the capabilities of Floating Island International’s (FII) patented floating treatment wetland (FTW) technology and its ability to purify water by significantly reducing carbon concentrations. Constructed of post-consumer polymer fibers and vegetated with native plants, FTWs mimic the ability of natural wetlands to clean water by bringing a “concentrated wetland effect” to any water body – in this case, an aerated stormwater pond.

Proving the Concept: Field Test of Floating Treatment Wetland Technology’s Ability to Treat Simulated Wastewater
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Location: Outdoor Test Ponds, Shepherd, Montana, USA
Summary: The following case study summarizes Floating Island International’s (FII) first large-scale outdoor test of the capabilities of FII’s patented floating treatment wetland (FTW) technology and its ability to clean water by significantly reducing nutrient levels. Constructed of post-consumer polymer fibers and vegetated with native plants, FTWs mimic the ability of natural wetlands to clean water by bringing a “concentrated wetland effect” to any water body; in this case, one of three test ponds.

Research papers

Here you will find reports and peer-reviewed papers demonstrating and quantifying the efficacy of floating islands in their primary function of remediating impaired water through biological and mechanical means.

A compliation of BioHaven® floating island nutrient removal data - 2011
This paper presents summary data for floating islands in laboratory, pilot scale and demonstration settings, focusing on contaminants of concern in waste water: ammonia, total Nitrogen, total Phosphorus and BOD.

2007 Final Report to Montana Board of Research and Commercialization Technology
The purpose of this project was to produce and test biomimetic, self-sustaining fl oating treatment wetlands (“fl oating islands”) that are designed to remove excess nutrients and other contaminants from lakes, streams, and wastewater lagoons.

Floating Islands - An Innovative Natural Treatment System for Enhanced Wastewater Treatment Through Lagoons
Pennsylvania is a Commonwealth, where government is through local municipal rule. In a commonwealth the local government in every small town, borough, and village is responsible for all needs of the public: land development, resources protection, sewer, water, streets, etc.

Final report of the second MBRCT grant - Professor Alfred B. Cunningham, Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University - 2010
Control of Microbial Processes for Enhanced Water Treatment using Floating Island Treatment Systems.

Independent study undertaken by NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric research of New Zealand)
This is a comprehensive review of all commercial embodiments of floating islands, which rates BioHavens as the best of all current offerings.

How BioHaven® Testing and Analysis Data Can Support Future Projects
Alden has provided extensive hydraulic testing services to Floating Island International to support the use of BioHavens® for various purposes including open water beautification and shoreline stabilization applications. This document summarizes the testing that was performed and how that testing can be used in order to support future proposed projects.

Floating treatment wetlands –an innovative solution to enhance removal of fine particulates, copper and zinc
Reduction of metals, particularly copper and zinc, in urban stormwater has been identified as a priority to protect the health of aquatic ecosystems in the Auckland Region (Auckland Regional Council, 2004). Floating treatment wetlands (FTW), employing emergent plants growing on a mat floating on the water surface, rather than rooted in the bottom sediments, provide an innovative option for treating urban stormwaters.

Land Contamination & Reclamation
Floating islands as an alternative to constructed wetlands for treatment of excess nutrients from agricultural and municipal wastes – results of laboratory-scale tests

Floating Treatment Wetlands: an Innovative Option for Stormwater Quality Applications
Floating Treatment Wetlands (FTWs) are an innovative variant of the more traditional constructed wetland and pond technologies that offer great potential for treatment of urban stormwaters. FTWs employ rooted, emergent macrophytes (similar to those used in surface and subsurface flow wetlands) growing on a mat floating on the surface of the water rather than rooted in the sediments.

Summary of BioHaven® floating islands' ability to remove Total Nitrogen from waste water - 2011

Summary of BioHaven® floating islands' ability to remove ammonia from waste water - 2011

Summary of BioHaven® floating islands' ability to remove Total Phosphorus from waste water - 2011

Summary of BioHaven® floating islands' ability to remove nitrate from waste water - 2011

Shepherd Research Center: Pheasant Study - Creating a world-class pheasant hunt
By altering four variables, land that had formerly been farm ground was converted to terrific habitat for ground-nesting birds, especially pheasant. Read this study, conducted over seven years, to find out why it was so successful.
 

• STACKING FUNCTIONS: Floating island technology