Stormwater wetlands are designed for several reasons: improving water quality, improving flood control, enhancing wildlife habitat, and providing education and recreation. Moreover, the types of pollutants targeted to be removed can influence the design. Wetlands in general, and stormwater wetlands in particular, use several mechanisms to remove pollutants. Stormwater wetlands employ perhaps more ways to remove sediments, nutrients, metals and chemicals, and even bacteria than any other structural BMP. These mechanisms include sedimentation, filtration, adsorption, microbial activity (nitrification and denitrification), and plant uptake.
