The Porter Ranch is a 4265-ha, state-owned tract near the town of Houghton Lake, Michigan, USA, which is situated on the 8112-ha lake. A 700-ha portion is the Houghton Lake wetland, which has been the recipient of treated wastewater from the town's aerated lagoons since the 1970s. The suggestion to use the wetland as a receiving water body originated with T.C. Williams, of the engineering firm Williams and Works, Inc., in the late-1960s. The idea was unknown territory for engineers, ecologists, and regulators; and consequently spurred considerable discussion. An interdisciplinary research team was established at the University of Michigan, for the purpose of investigating the various aspects of the suggested project. That team researched the hydrology, soils, water quality and ecology of the natural wetland for several years, and studied irrigation of test plots with simulated effluent (Richardson et al., 1976). Results were encouraging, and a 360 m3/d pilot project was built and researched for an additional 3 years, 1975-1977 (Tilton and Kadlec, 1979). Outcomes of the pilot project were also positive, and the full-scale project ensued, which is the subject of this special issue. Some of the primary pre-project researchers moved on to other jobs, and the full-scale research was therefore supervised and conducted by a team comprised of researchers from Michigan State University (ecology) and The University of Michigan (vegetation, soils, physical and chemical). The project operated under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, and a land use permit issued by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR).The later performed annual reviews of research plans and reports, which totaled 60 over the 30-year period of record.
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机译：波特牧场是4265公顷的国有土地，靠近美国密歇根州霍顿湖镇，坐落在8112公顷的湖上。霍顿湖湿地占地700公顷，自1970年代以来一直是该镇加气泻湖中处理过的废水的接收者。使用湿地作为接收水体的建议起源于T.C.工程公司Williams and Works，Inc.的Williams在1960年代后期。对于工程师，生态学家和监管者而言，这个想法是未知的领域。因此引发了广泛的讨论。密歇根大学成立了一个跨学科的研究小组，目的是调查所建议项目的各个方面。该小组研究了天然湿地的水文，土壤，水质和生态环境，并研究了模拟污水对试验区的灌溉（Richardson等，1976）。结果令人鼓舞，于是在1975年至1977年间建立并研究了一个360 m3 / d的试验项目，历时3年（Tilton和Kadlec，1979年）。试点项目的成果也是积极的，随后进行了全面项目，这是本期特刊的主题。一些主要的项目前研究人员转而从事其他工作，因此，全面研究由密歇根州立大学（生态系）和密西根大学（植被，土壤，物理和自然科学系）的研究人员进行监督和进行。化学）。该项目是根据国家污染物排放消除系统（NPDES）许可和密歇根州自然资源部（MDNR）颁发的土地使用许可进行的。后来，该研究团队对研究计划和报告进行了年度审核，在30-记录的年份。
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