General

Constructed wetlands are monitored for various reasons including: water quality performance (research and/or compliance), biological/habitat status, accumulation of toxic substances (sediment), to ensure optimal operation standards and condition of maintenance.

Monitoring can be performed on base flows (inter-event) and/or storm events at sample locations above and below each constructed wetland. Sampling can be grab (concentration) or auto-sampled (load monitoring). The type and extent of monitoring will depend upon what questions you are trying to answer and budget.

Protocols

i) Water quality monitoring:
Physical and Chemical parameters using in-situ probes, auto-samplers, or manually.
General: Turb, pH, DO, Temp, Conductivity, REDOX, SS, Nuts, FCols, flow rate

ii) Biological monitoring:
Macro-invertebrates, periphytons (diatoms/blue greens/filamentous greens), fish, amphibians, macrophyte colonisation, pest species (weeds and fauna eg.gambusia) and riparian vegetation.

iii) Sediment monitoring:
Particle size analysis, TOC, Nuts, Metals, PAH’s.

Costs

Purchase multi-probe approx $7,000 - $20,000
Maintenance and Calibration approx $2,000 pa
Establishment of single auto-sampler approx. $20,000-30,000 pa
Biological Monitoring approx. $2,000-$5,000 pa per site.

Case Study

DLWC (1998) The Constructed Wetlands Manual. Volumes 1&2. Ch25 – Operation, Maintenance and Monitoring.

Lawrence, I. and Breen, P. (1998) Design Guidelines: Stormwater pollution control ponds and wetlands. Appendix A – Pond or wetland performance assessment.

Sakadevan, K. and Bavor, H.J. (1999) Nutrient Removal Mechanisms in Constructed Wetlands and Sustainable Water Management. In J.Wat.Sci.Tech. Vol 40 (2) pp.121-128.

Wong, T.H.F., Breen, P.F., Somes, N.L.G. and Lloyd, S.D. (1998) Managing Urban Stormwater using Constructed Wetlands, Industry Report 98/7, CRC for Catchment Hydrology, Australia.

Hornsby Shire Council - Catchment Remediation Capital Works Program Annual Report 2002-2003
www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/environment/water catchments/catchment remediation program/

Manly Hydraulics Laboratory
http://www.mhl.nsw.gov.au/www/water_qual_paper.htmlx

People Contacts

Peter Breen, CRC for Freshwater Ecology phone 03 9903 2577
Ian Lawrence, CRC for Catchment Hydrology phone 02 6201 5371
Tony Wong, CRC for Catchment Hydrology phone 03 9905 2704

Anthony Collins, Hornsby Shire Council phone 02 9847 6860
http://www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/environment/index.cfm?NavigationID=878

Geoff Hunter, Penrith City Council

Organisation Contacts

CRC For Freshwater Ecology
http://enterprise.canberra.edu.au/WWW/www-crcfe.nsf/d87a31d8f4603d1d4a256641000e9021/7e16e5963b71476b4a25664a004a2493?OpenDocument

CRC for Catchment Hydrology
http://www.catchment.crc.org.au/

Advanced reference

American Water Resources
http://www.awra.org/jawra/papers/J00050.html

Mentis, J.N., Hindmarsh, B. and Bennet, S. (1998) Nutrient Control Performance Assessment Project: 1995/97 Final report on nutrient performance of selected constructed wetland sites in NSW. CNR 98.017 DLWC Sydney ISSN 1329 6310

Mentis, J.N., (1999) Nutrient Control Performance Assessment: Nutrient Removal by a Regulated Offstream Wetland at Blaney, NSW. Proceedings of the 18th federal convention of the Australian Water and Wastewater Association, Adelaide (AWWA).