THE USE OF STORMWATER TREATMENT WETLANDS FOR NON-POINT SOURCE MANAGEMENT

摘要

Stormwater treatment wetlands are small, constructed ecosystems designed tornenhance stormwater quality that has been impaired as a result of urbanization andrndevelopment. As part of the U.S. EPA Gulf of Mexico Program, the AlabamarnDepartment of Environmental Management and the University of South Alabamarncooperated on a demonstration project that was designed to study the effectiveness ofrnimplementing stormwater treatment wetlands as a means to minimize pollutant loadingrninto coastal waters, demonstrate the technical, functional, and aesthetic viability ofrnwetland systems for controlling nonpoint source water pollution, and educate thernpublic about innovative technologies (stormwater wetlands) for protecting our waterrnresources. The wetland system was constructed in January 1996 on a public golfrncourse in Mobile, Alabama adjacent to Mobile Bay. Monitoring results have shown thatrnsuspended sediment and total phosphorus removal are significant (up to 90%), andrnthat nitrogen removal occurs, but at less overall removal rates (～ 20%).