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Using Constructed Wetlands to Improve Water Quality, EC 1408 75¢ EC 1408 Reprinted June 1993 WATER QUALITY Using Constructed Wetlands to Improve Water Quality J.A. Moore arsh, bog, swamp, slough, fen—these are just a few of the names commonly applied to the class of natural habitats DATE. Mcalled “wetlands.” Broadly defined, wetlands are land areas that have prolonged high water tables or are at least covered with shallow water. As a transition habitat between dry land and a deep water environment, they support plants specially adapted to OF grow in alternating wet and dry conditions. Historically, wetlands have not In some cases, the wetland made good farm land. For this environment became overloaded reason, people viewed wetlands with waste materials and was OUT negatively and systematically seriously degraded. Later, cities removed them from large intentionally built wetlands to IS portions of the United States. treat municipal wastewater. As others recognized the advantages Research now shows that of this method, the applications wetlands are highly productive broadened. ecosystems that support vigorous plant growth and a broad variety Now, constructed wetlands treat of animal life. acid mine drainage, pulp mill information: wastewater, swine waste, poultry Wetlands also improve the rendering wastes, landfill quality of water that flows leachate, urban runoff, textile through them by filtering out wastewater, and effluent from the impurities, actively degrading photography industry. waste matter, and removing some chemicals that flow from While currentno long term research upstream. The discoveryPUBLICATION of this studies have been made to attribute led to the idea of determine how efficient wetlands intentionally using wetlands to are at treating these types of treat wastewater. wastewater, most users find that mostconstructed wetlands are an At first,THIS individuals and cities did efficient, cost-effective way of not build special wetlands to treat removing pollutants. wastewater. They dumped treated or untreated wastewaterFor into local James A. Moore, Extension downstream natural wetlands to agricultural engineer, Oregon Figure 1.—Concrete control boxes (foreground) regulate flow improve wastewater quality.http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalogState University. rate and water depth in constructed wetlands WATER QUALITY reactions is influenced by the All of these treatment processes an impenetrable layer of clay or How wetlands treat wetland acidity and other work simultaneously, so that by a plastic liner. The bed contains environmental factors. the time water flows out of the rocks or other material that can wastewater wetland, the water’s nitrate, support the growth of new For example, if the wetland phosphorus, sulfur, and bacterialDATE.vegetation. Wastewater flows Wetlands incorporate physi- has high concentrations of content can be greatly reduced. about 6 to 12 inches below the cal, biological, and chemical ferrous iron, a chemical A variety of other water bed surface. The local geology processes to treat wastewater. transformation can occur pollutants can usuallyOF be and soil conditions must be The water flows in and slows between the iron and incoming reduced in constructed wetlands investigated before developing down as it spreads across the sulfides, forming insoluble through these same processes. a design. wetland surface. This slowing ferrous sulfide, which settles to of the flow allows soil and the bottom of the wetland. The specifics depend on the The rainfall, ground water sediment particles to filter or characteristics of the wastewa- conditions, and water flow physically settle out. The soil characteristics of ter deliveredOUT to the wetland patterns for all seasons of the wetland systems that make and the amount of time spent year influence the design. Local This process also removes them particularly productive are ISin the wetland system. climate, such as maximum and nutrients such as phosphorous also partly responsible for the minimum temperature, will and chemicals that are attached highly efficient way in which affect biological activity and to the sediments. Biological and they treat water. Specifically, it Development treatment efficiency. During the chemical treatment processes is the layering of an oxygen- development of the system, the transform materials rather than containing (aerobic) soil above and design wetland operating depth, flow just physically remove them. a layer without oxygen (anaero-information:considerations rate, and how long the wastewa- Constructed wetlands maximize bic) that supports much of these ter must stay in the wetland for Constructed wetlands generally treatment by ensuring slow flow degradation and transformation proper treatment all influence fall into one of two categories: rates, and plants provide lots of processes. the final design. surface area. Plant stems and Free water surface wetlands roots provide surface areas that Plant roots anchored in the Wastewater can contain such anaerobic environment below are the most common. They pollutants as nitrogen com- support communities of consist of the following: microorganisms, which use the water surface exude pounds, phosphorus com- some of the nutrients and oxygencurrent in a layer surrounding • basins or channels with pounds, sulfates, heavy metals, organic matter carried inPUBLICATION the the plant’s root hairs. This natural or constructed complex organic compounds, runoff water. layer, a very large area indeed, subsurface barriers of clay or and pathogenic bacteria and is called the rhizosphere and is impervious material to viruses. From some industries, For example, microbe com- where much biological and prevent seepage; the concentration of some of munities on plant stems chemical activity occurs. these materials can be toxic most • soil or another suitable convert organic nitrogen to the and could damage the very THIS medium to support the inorganic ammonium nitrogen It provides an environment for wetland plants and microbial emerging vegetation; and form. Other biological a wide range of oxygen-using communities that help treat the treatments involveFor plant aquatic organisms, some of • wastewater flowing slowly water, so it is important to uptake of nutrients such as which directly or indirectly use over the soil surface at a monitor closely the effects of nitrates and phosphates.http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalogadditional nutrients in the relatively shallow water such toxins. runoff water. The interface depth. Chemical treatment occurs between the aerobic and A wetland treatment system will when incoming compounds anaerobic layers allows many The second type is called a fail if it is loaded with heavy react with oxygen or soil complex reactions to occur. subsurface flow system. This solids or wastewater with high minerals in the wetland. The system consists of a trench or amounts of organic matter. rate and extent of these bed, at the bottom of which is When these materials are Using Constructed Wetlands to Improve Water Quality DATE. OF OUT IS information: Figure 2.—Constructed wetlands commonly use earthen dikes to control flow of effluent and treatment time. current present, the wastewaterPUBLICATION is Fitting a constructed wetland benefits a constructed wetland usually pretreated at another Considerations into the local slope and lay of can have for a community. facility. the land can influence physical when constructing configuration options. Ques- Developers often make plans Constructed wetlands aremostwetlands tions about such nuisances as to add aesthetic and recre- typicallyTHIS the second or third potential odors and mosquitoes ational opportunities so the stage in wastewater treatment. Before construction ever starts, also must be discussed. public can enjoy constructed Depending on what the planners look at the area’s land wetlands. Such features can wastewater containsFor and how use. They consider whether a Wetland developers have lead to an enthusiastic well it is pretreated, a well- constructed wetland will fit into learned that public perceptions welcome from the local designed wetland treatmenthttp://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalogthe setting in this part of the can play a key role in whether community; a valuable asset system can remove 95 percent community while still providing or not a wetland wastewater that goes a long way toward of the original organic matter efficient treatment with low treatment system is ever built. helping the proposed wetland and suspended solids concen- maintenance requirements. With that in mind, they often gain the necessary permits trations and produce an Wetlands can require large land dedicate their efforts to keeping and municipal approval. effluent that can be dis- areas. the public informed of the many charged to a nearby stream. WATER QUALITY nature education as well. Other benefits Scientists and the general For more information public can both benefit from Depending on the design, access to wetland environ- EC 1407, Understanding Natural Wetlands, Single copy, no constructed wetlands can ments, especially if boardwalks charge. This publication and DATE.the one you’re holding, EC 1408, provide many benefits in are built, and tour guides and Using Constructed Wetlands to Improve Water Quality, are addition to their water treatment self-guided interpretive trails or available from: Publications Orders, Agricultural Communica- capacity. One potential benefit other aids are available. tions, Oregon StateOF University, Administrative Services A422, is the increase in wetland Corvallis,
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