Abstract
Stormwater runoff from urban areas is a major contributor to nonpoint source pollution. To address this issue, an innovative ecological engineering method, floating treatment wetlands (FTWs), is introduced within existing urban or downstream water bodies. This system may enhance nutrient removal with reduced space requirements and may avoid disadvantages of other Best Management Practices (BMPs). However, very few available peer reviewed publications apply this practice to urban stormwater. To better understand the nutrient removal capability of FTWs in urban runoff, a mesocosm experiment with 18 tanks was conducted in Northern Virginia. Raw urban stormwater was directly pumped from a retention pond into each tank to better simulate field conditions. Four different plant species were tested: common rush (Juncus effuses), softstem bulrush (Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani), broadleaf cattail (Typha latifolia L.), and yellow water iris (Iris pseudacorus). Nutrient removal efficiency is indicated by analyzing the residual nitrogen and phosphorus in the water.
Published Version
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