| Evapotranspiration (ET) covers are gaining attention in the scientific and regulatory community as an alternative to conventional barrier covers for leachate management. Currently, field data on cover performance is limited, especially for humid and cold regions. This study assessed the performance of shrub willow (Salix) as an ET cover on a landfill site in Syracuse, NY. The Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model was used to analyze cover performance from 1974-2003 for two willow crop management regimes (Constant Size vs. Short Rotation Coppice), two rooting depths (0.5m vs. 0.75m), and two precipitation scenarios (early vs. late wet years) that were applicable to the site. Results indicate a significant difference between management regimes (p=0.001) but no significant difference for rooting depth (p=0.900). The ET cover achieved equivalency to conventional covers (deep percolation <30mm/yr) in 21 out of 28 years and its performance appears to improve with time. |
