BIOHAVEN
FLOATING ISLANDS

BioHaven® Technology is the Standard

in Floating Treatment Wetlands

In 2005, when New Zealand wetland scientist, Dr. Chris Tanner, heard about BioHaven Floating Islands, he jumped on a plane and visited Montana. He had to see this “new generation” of floating treatment wetlands, which he believed heralded new promise for nature-based water remediation. Tanner immediately began to study their ability to remove nutrients and heavy metals from stormwater. His success sparked over a decade of BioHaven research at leading universities and institutes around the world.

What Makes

BIOHAVENS

Different?

BioHaven matrix forms an extensive surface area for biofilm attachment – a bioreactor, capable of removing many different pollutants through microbial activity. The matrix is a flexible, well-oxygenated growing platform, allowing plants to fully mature and reach their maximum potential. The introduction of growing media enhances plant growth further.

Plant roots grow not just under the island but within the matrix itself and through the sides, benefitting from exposure to light and easily accessible to grazing fish.
The matrix does not plug up because the biofilm is constantly being grazed and renewed.
They can be made virtually any size, shape and depth to support everything from wetland plants to gazebos.
They are resilient even to Class 3 hurricanes.
Our proprietary sizing tool – applicable only to BioHaven – can accurately estimate the amount of island needed to meet water quality goals.

Oh, and they actually look like real islands!

Nature’s Wetland Effect

Nature’s Wetland Effect is the term we use to describe BioHavens water quality function. Wetlands are characterized by surface area and circulation.

A massive amount of surface area is provided by BioHaven matrix, as well as by the root biomass that grows in and through it. Every millimeter is covered with beneficial biofilms that break down pollutants, trap fine particles, and enhance water clarity. Natural water flows and artificial circulation carry polluted water to and through the island biomass.

Traditional wetlands do not have plant roots exposed to the water. BioHavens do, and deliver a more concentrated treatment effect as a result.

Plants and Habitat

Above the waterline, BioHavens are very good at growing plants, which provide excellent habitat for an abundance of birds, pollinators and amphibians. Red-winged blackbirds, in great numbers, nest on them, Great blue herons loaf on them. Ducks and geese roost and breed on them, and swim out to them to protect their broods when danger lurks. Turtles bask in the sun, frogs leap off them the occasional muskrat finds a tasty bite on them. That’s just on regular islands.

Specialist islands, though, can be made specifically to cater for individual species. Loons, for example, like overhead cover and a hollow nesting area, as well as a safe ramp for the chicks to get in and out of the water. We have even built islands covered in gravel for tern nesting and for turtles.

And wildflowers flourish on BioHavens, attracting pollinators of all stripes.

Beneficial Biofilm

Every surface area in water attracts beneficial microbes that carry out nature’s cleaning processes.

Inside every cubic foot of BioHaven matrix, there are 375 square feet of “fibers” (surface area) covered with millions of microbes. If you’ve ever slipped on a river rock or picked up a slimy stick to throw for your dog, you’ve encountered biofilm. What we think of as “icky slime” actually teems with microscopic life and is the building block of the aquatic food web. As oxygen provides air to support life, biofilm provides nourishment. When there is plenty of both, clean, healthy water is enjoyed.

Plant matter – phytoplankton – sticks to biofilm and forms periphyton, those dangly green fronds that you see drifting below the water surface. Under a microscope, you’ll find it’s a jungle alive with tiny “lions and tigers”, all eating each other and being eaten, absorbing nutrients as they grow and feeding the next layer of the food web. Biofilm and periphyton are often referred to interchangeably.

Periphyton is the healthy alternative to algae. Algae represent a monoculture that feeds on an overload of nutrients; it has a boom-and-bust cycle, which deprives the water of oxygen and contributes to methane formation. Periphyton cycles nutrients into the food web instead, over time, allowing a balanced ecosystem to be present and thrive.

BioHaven matrix is a bioreactor – a bio-reactive surface area for attachment of biofilms. Complex microbial communities (biofilm) also assemble on, and throughout, the root mass below the water surface, and contribute to water treatment processes through adhesion, filtration, nutrient uptake (direct use by plants), and sequestration. We refer to this as the “concentrated wetland effect”.

Biofilm Reduces Microplastics

The BioHaven and hanging root-biofilm network provide a biologically active surface area for biochemical processes as well as physical processes such as filtering and entrapment. In other words, organic and inorganic particulates stick to the biofilm and are filtered out from the water column. This includes microplastics. BioHavens are part of the solution.

How Does Ice Affect BioHavens?

BioHavens winterize very well. In cold climates, water freezes in and around the matrix, which is flexible enough to handle any expansion caused by ice. It is not uncommon to experience situations where, during a long winter, islands freeze, seasonal water levels may recede under the ice and the ice breaks, taking the islands with it. Then it snows, rains, thaw and freezes again, often causing the islands to be buried under several feet of snow. Finally, when Spring thaw arrives, the islands regain their buoyancy and the plants grow again (at least, if you’ve planted perennials) and become the lush and beautiful islands you remember from last Fall.

BioHavens will survive most winter conditions. If you wish to deploy them in a lake with moving ice, it is important to design around this condition.

During winter, fish are very susceptible to both cold temperatures and low dissolved oxygen in the water. To avoid freezing, they inhabit the warm(er) bottom layer of the water, when it is stratified. However, this is the zone that typically has the least oxygen and the most sediment. One big advantage of RAM is that it gently adds oxygen to the bottom layer while preserving the warmer temperature, so that fish can breathe and survive the toughest time of year. A fish that is healthy going into Spring has a much better chance of successful breeding and overall survival.

How Much

BIOHAVEN

Do I Need?

Using our proprietary modeling tool, we can calculate how much BioHaven matrix your project needs to meet its goals. We base our estimate on an extensive portfolio of case studies specific to BioHavens. Over the years, we have captured data for a wide range of parameters in a variety of settings. All floating islands are not equal. With BioHaven we can confidently match our past results to your present situation.

If you don’t have a lot of information, don’t worry: we can provide estimates based on your pond size and, of course, your budget. Our ultimate premise is that one island is always better than no island.

Be a Part of the
Change, Starting
with our Water

Whether you have questions about our technology, need support, or want to share your feedback, our dedicated team is here to assist you every step of the way.

Email
info@floatingislandinternational.com

Phone
+1 406.373.5200

Location
Shepherd, MT

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BIOHAVEN FLOATING ISLANDS