Impact of flood damage on pollutant removal efficiencies of a subtropical urban constructed wetland
Journal
Science of the Total Environment
Journal Volume
408
Journal Issue
20
Pages
4328-4333
Date Issued
2010
Author(s)
Abstract
Typhoons and hurricanes in subtropical/tropical regions can induce significant environmental changes (e.g., mass flooding and inundations). However, the damage to the pollutant removal efficiencies of constructed wetlands brought about by these natural disturbances has been neglected in major studies conducted in temperate climates. Therefore, this study compares the pollutant removal performance of a constructed wetland in the Danshui River Basin, before and after the system was inundated with flooding from Typhoon Krosa in 2007. The pollutant removal performance of the free water surface (FWS) constructed wetland was investigated monthly from September 2006 to April 2008. Results of the study demonstrated that this FWS wetland effectively removed 64.3% BOD, 98.9% NH4-N, and 39.5% Total-P before Typhoon Krosa. However, the extensive flooding caused by Typhoon Krosa swept over most of the aboveground plant community and deposited the sediment onto the bottom of each compartment. Subsequently, reduced pollutant removal efficiencies were observed. Only 37.7% BOD, 35.1% NH4-N, and 31.8% Total-P were removed after this event, although the flow regime was immediately restored. Comparing the water quality data for the FWS wetland before and after Typhoon Krosa revealed the immediate, quantitative damage to the pollutant removal performance caused by the typhoon's inundation. Consequently, a high-flow bypass and additional preventive measures would protect any constructed wetland in areas subject to typhoons. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.
Subjects
Free water surface constructed wetland; Pollutant removal efficiency; Subtropical weather; Typhoon
Other Subjects
Before and after; Constructed wetlands; Environmental change; Flow bypass; Flow regimes; Free water surfaces; Natural disturbance; Plant communities; Pollutant removal efficiency; Pollutant removal performance; Preventive measures; River basins; Subtropical weather; Temperate climate; Typhoon; Water quality data; Climatology; Dewatering; Flood damage; Hurricanes; Removal; Storm sewers; Tropics; Water pollution; Water quality; Wetlands; ammonia; nitrogen; phosphorus; ammonia; nitrogen; oxygen; phosphorus; water pollutant; constructed wetland; flood damage; hurricane; pollutant removal; subtropical region; typhoon; urban area; water quality; article; constructed wetland; controlled study; effluent; environmental change; environmental impact assessment; flooding; hurricane; nonhuman; plant community; pollutant; priority journal; river; sediment; waste component removal; waste management; water analysis; water quality; analysis; city; disaster; ecosystem restoration; productivity; tropic climate; water pollutant; wetland; Ammonia; Cities; Cyclonic Storms; Disasters; Efficiency; Environmental Remediation; Floods; Nitrogen; Oxygen; Phosphorus; Tropical Climate; Water Pollutants; Wetlands; Ammonia; Cities; Cyclonic Storms; Disasters; Efficiency; Environmental Restoration and Remediation; Floods; Nitrogen; Oxygen; Phosphorus; Tropical Climate; Water Pollutants; Wetlands
Type
journal article