Management proposal of a naturally occurring wetland modeled as a constructed wetland

Environmental management and restoration aim to accelerate the recovery of ecosystems that have been affected by human activities. This paper presents the diagnosis and management proposal for the Valsequillo wetland, Puebla, Mexico. The study site is a natural wetland dominated by water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) which performs a biofiltration process by reducing the pollutant load of the water. To increase the efficiency of the wetland, an annual harvest plan is proposed in this work. However, the ideal amount of biomass to harvest is unknown. In order determine the optimal annual harvest plan, this natural wetland was modeled as if it were a surface flow wetland by using the equations described. A total of 48 surface water samples were collected in three different seasons of the year (dry, rainy, and winter) and 34 water quality physicochemical parameters were measured. Additionally, two water quality indices were determined, namely: Overall Index Pollution (OIP) and Heavy Metal Evaluation Index (HEI) to determine the degree of contamination in different zones of the study area. The model results showed that in order to achieve the desired removal of total phosphorus (TP) or chemical oxygen demand (COD), 274 ha or 306 ha of aquatic plants must be harvested, respectively. The results of the modeling showed that this action will optimize the function of the wetland by improving the removal of total suspended solids (TSS, 6%), total nitrogen (TN, 24%) TP (31%), chemical oxygen demand (COD, 11%) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5, 101%).

Automated summary

This paper presents the diagnosis and management proposal for the Valsequillo wetland in Mexico. The wetland is dominated by water hyacinth which reduces the pollutant load of the water. An annual harvest plan is proposed, but the ideal amount of biomass to harvest is unknown. Through modeling and analysis, it was found that for the desired removal of total phosphorus or chemical oxygen demand, 274 ha or 306 ha of aquatic plants must be harvested, respectively.