Wetland creation and restoration for flood control and stormwater treatment - a case study of Putrajaya Wetland in Malaysia

Sim C. H., . (2004) Wetland creation and restoration for flood control and stormwater treatment - a case study of Putrajaya Wetland in Malaysia. [Proceedings Paper]

In the nineteenth century large areas of wetlands were drained and reclaimed for agriculture and aquaculture industry human settlements and other uses. The natural function of wetlands for flood control water supply water purification source of natural products gene pools and wildlife habitats were not appreciated or understood. Wetlands were modified and misused for specified functions for economic purposes and lost their natural functions. Malaysia started to realise the importance of wetlands in 1994 and ratified the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance. However even steps were taken to prevent the loss of wetland these unique habitats continued to be destroyed. This led to wetland creation and restoration efforts which began in the late 1990s. Putrajaya Wetland is the first constructed wetland in Malaysia as well as one of the largest constructed freshwater wetlands in the tropics. Putrajaya Wetland was created in March 1997 mainly to restore the polluted Chua and Bisa river systems caused by upstream catchment agricultural activities. Some surrounding oil palm plantations also were converted into wetlands to function in stormwater treatment and flood control within the catchment. Putrajaya Wetland receives many non-point source pollutants from its catchment via the rivers and storm events. The wetland was created in the valleys of the Chuau and Bisa Rivers encompassing an area of 650 hectares of which 197 ha comprises 24 wetland cells dominated by marshland and the remaining area being open water lake system also known as Putrajaya Lake. The wetland cells were designed using the multi-cell-multi-stage approach with diferent water levels at each cell. The water flows through these wetland cells and finally flows into Putrajaya Lake. The wetland cells were planted with 26 marsh plants which function in sediment retention nutrient and toxicant removal. These wetland plants were sourced locally and they are of high adaptability to inundation conditions. The water quality results indicate that the constructed wetland is functioning well within its nature to filtering and purifying the water and complies with the National Water Quality Standard set by the Department of ENvironment Malaysia. This created wetland has also attracted various types of wildlife including waterbirds amphibians reptiles and insects and hence has enhanced the biological diversity in the area. The marsh plants function in removing the pollutants through direct uptake together with other removal mechanisms such as microbial degradation sedimentation adsorption and precipitation. The total amount of pollutants removed by the wetland plants is very high because tropical plants relatively have higher biomass production. The pollutant removal efficiency for Putrajaya Wetland was estimated to be 70 for BOD TSS and COD 60 for N and 50 for P.

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Abstract

In the nineteenth century large areas of wetlands were drained and reclaimed for agriculture and aquaculture industry human settlements and other uses. The natural function of wetlands for flood control water supply water purification source of natural products gene pools and wildlife habitats were not appreciated or understood. Wetlands were modified and misused for specified functions for economic purposes and lost their natural functions. Malaysia started to realise the importance of wetlands in 1994 and ratified the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance. However even steps were taken to prevent the loss of wetland these unique habitats continued to be destroyed. This led to wetland creation and restoration efforts which began in the late 1990s. Putrajaya Wetland is the first constructed wetland in Malaysia as well as one of the largest constructed freshwater wetlands in the tropics. Putrajaya Wetland was created in March 1997 mainly to restore the polluted Chua and Bisa river systems caused by upstream catchment agricultural activities. Some surrounding oil palm plantations also were converted into wetlands to function in stormwater treatment and flood control within the catchment. Putrajaya Wetland receives many non-point source pollutants from its catchment via the rivers and storm events. The wetland was created in the valleys of the Chuau and Bisa Rivers encompassing an area of 650 hectares of which 197 ha comprises 24 wetland cells dominated by marshland and the remaining area being open water lake system also known as Putrajaya Lake. The wetland cells were designed using the multi-cell-multi-stage approach with diferent water levels at each cell. The water flows through these wetland cells and finally flows into Putrajaya Lake. The wetland cells were planted with 26 marsh plants which function in sediment retention nutrient and toxicant removal. These wetland plants were sourced locally and they are of high adaptability to inundation conditions. The water quality results indicate that the constructed wetland is functioning well within its nature to filtering and purifying the water and complies with the National Water Quality Standard set by the Department of ENvironment Malaysia. This created wetland has also attracted various types of wildlife including waterbirds amphibians reptiles and insects and hence has enhanced the biological diversity in the area. The marsh plants function in removing the pollutants through direct uptake together with other removal mechanisms such as microbial degradation sedimentation adsorption and precipitation. The total amount of pollutants removed by the wetland plants is very high because tropical plants relatively have higher biomass production. The pollutant removal efficiency for Putrajaya Wetland was estimated to be 70 for BOD TSS and COD 60 for N and 50 for P.

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Item Type:	Proceedings Paper
Additional Information:	Summary En
AGROVOC Term:	WETLANDS
AGROVOC Term:	FLOODING
AGROVOC Term:	WATER QUALITY
AGROVOC Term:	POLLUTANTS
AGROVOC Term:	FLORA
AGROVOC Term:	FAUNA
AGROVOC Term:	MALAYSIA
Geographical Term:	MALAYSIA
Depositing User:	Ms. Norfaezah Khomsan
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 05:27
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/16086

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