Constructed wetland

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/constructed-wetland

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the treatment mechanisms?Physical filtration, sedimentation, adsorption, plant uptake, microbial degradation, and nutrient transformation
2. What is the primary wastewater types treated?Municipal sewage, domestic greywater, agricultural runoff, industrial wastewater, and stormwater
3. How do plants help clean water in a constructed wetland?Plants take up nutrients and give their roots a place for microbes. The microbes break down dirty stuff and turn it into harmless material. The roots also help air the water and keep it clean.
4. What are the two main types of constructed wetlands?The two main types are surface flow and subsurface flow. In surface flow water moves over the ground, while in subsurface flow it moves through sand and gravel below the surface.

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD): A measure of the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aquatic life to break down organic matter.
Nutrient Removal: The process of reducing the concentration of elements like nitrogen and phosphorus, which can cause eutrophication.
Hydraulic Loading Rate: The volume of wastewater applied to a unit area of the wetland over a specific time period.