A passive treatment system for removing metals, especially manganese, from
mine drainage and other aqueous solutions. The Hybrid Flow Pond (HFP) is
an open, pond-like structure utilizing a horizontal or vertical
operational flow path through a bed of treatment media together with a
vertical flow path for flushing accumulated solids from the bed. The bed
preferably contains basic steel slag, limestone, marble, blast furnace
slag, other types of slag, organic material, or mixtures thereof. In
another aspect of the Hybrid Flow Pond, a tiered piping system divides an
interior of the treatment bed into cells. Each cell has its own header
and adjustable riser whose output level can be raised or lowered to
change the head experienced by each cell.