It is only 11 by 8 feet, but its purpose extends beyond simply floating. The floating platform was launched in March 2024, as reported by The US Army. At a military vehicle wash facility in Texas, an unusual structure is sitting on the surface of a catchment basin. Known as the U.S.S. Eddy, the prototype was built from corrugated pipes packed with recycled plastic bottles, covered with layers of screening and coconut fibre, then planted with native aquatic vegetation. The idea came from staff at Fort Cavazos who were looking for a way to improve water quality while making use of a basin already attracting fish, turtles, frogs, waterfowl and other wildlife.
The March 2024 launch was treated as a trial rather than a finished solution. Fort Cavazos said it hoped eventually to assemble and launch as many as 20 floating islands.
The project team said the island was particularly aimed at fine, emulsified contaminants in the basin. Fort Cavazos’ Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security, or DPTMS, developed the project with its Adaptive and Integrative Management Team. The intention was to introduce a biological element into the treatment process, using plants and their growing environment as a natural filter. It was also expected to help reduce algae and improve the quality of the recycled water through natural processes rather than relying entirely on mechanical treatment. DPTMS and the AIM Team planned to monitor the island over time, looking at how well the design performed and whether parts of it could be changed. The longer-term proposal is considerably larger than the first experiment. The experiment is also taking place in a working facility rather than a purpose-built conservation area. That makes the basin itself part of the test, as the team watches how a floating wetland performs alongside the everyday demands of washing military vehicles.
