Floating treatment wetlands are a manmade ecosystem that mimic natural wetlands (David J. Sample, 2013) and are used to increase the water quality of lakes (SWCD, 2017). The wetlands focus on the excess of nutrients in the water as well as it can increase the biodiversity throughout the lake (SWCD, 2017). These floating wetlands can help control the amount of nutrients throughout the pond using nutrient uptake. (SWCD, 2017). Floating treatment wetlands have been used because they can be used at a low cost and are a known sustainable engineered best management practice (BMP) for reducing pollution in bodies of water (David J. Sample, 2013).
These floating wetlands are made up of a buoyant surface that holds the growing plants above the water (SWCD, 2017). These surfaced mimic that of natural wetlands made of non-invasive, perennial plants that can filter and process nutrients, TSS, different metals like iron, and other different pollutants that could be present (SWCD, 2017). The main difference of these floating wetlands is that the roots do not touch or enter the soil of the lake rather they stay suspended in the buoyant raft that way the different plants can then
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Headley, 2006). Since it would be placed near the deepest part of the lake and the size right now is unknown it could interfere with the recreational use of the lake (i.e. can’t swim in that area anymore, boats would potentially have to go around it, if there is enough room) (T.R. Headley, 2006). By putting this system in it could have effects on the vegetation already within the lake (T.R. Headley, 2006). Also since this technique can lower the TSS within the body of water now the organic matter content will increase and dissolved oxygen content in the water can change, could have effects on the declining fish habitat (T.R. Headley,