A floating wetland is coming to Lake Kyle next spring!
The floating wetlands, intended to improve water quality by targeting pollutants that make their way to Lake Kyle and Plum Creek watershed through the stormwater drainage system, are being created in partnership with Dr. Sam Hwang’s HEDGE (Hwang Eco-Friendly Development for Green Environment) Lab at Texas State University.
His team can be seen every two weeks at Lake Kyle, manually taking water samples on kayaks. Testing pH levels, the average temperature, the number of contaminants like PFAS or “forever plastics”, microbes like E. coli, and compounds like fluoride and nitrates.
All this data is creating the baseline of Lake Kyle’s water composition. Eventually, it will be compared to data collected after the wetlands are fully established, giving the HEDGE team solid, scientific information on the effects floating wetlands have on water quality.
After nearly a year of collecting data, the team will be ready for the next phase of the project, constructing the floating wetlands, at the end of 2026. The floating wetlands will be built on floating platforms that allow plant roots to hang into the water, creating a habitat for microorganisms that break down contaminants in the lake and improve water clarity. These root systems can also help prevent harmful algae blooms by consuming nitrogen and phosphorous particles.
In other words, the plants act as little vacuum cleaners that help keep the lake clean while also creating a more consistent habitat for fish and plant life in Lake Kyle. The HEDGE Lab team has already tested this floating platform at a smaller scale and is currently running simulations to predict water quality improvements once the wetlands are established in Lake Kyle.
Once the platforms are constructed, they will be filled with Texas native plants found in natural wetlands to provide additional habitat to migratory birds such as green herons, white cranes, and painted buntings that already call the area home. They will be anchored in the deeper section of the lake to prevent any disturbances from shore and to maintain a healthy and safe habitat for fish, birds, and other wildlife.
Did you know? Approximately 1 in 3 birds migrating through the United States passes through Texas! -National Audubon Society
The project isn’t over once the wetlands are established. After the floating ecological mini-barge has had time to settle, data will once again be collected and compared to Lake Kyle’s water quality before the wetlands were established. The HEDGE Lab team is hoping to see a decrease in contaminants in the water and nutrients suspended in the water during the second round of testing.
This natural approach to improving water quality could provide a cost effective, space-conscious way to naturally improve water quality in Lake Kyle while helping the city meet state stormwater requirements and advance conservation efforts.
Cities such as Baltimore, Maryland and Merritt Island, Florida have seen success in pollutant reduction and nutrient reduction with this method. After the data from Lake Kyle has been collected and analyzed, Dr. Hwang’s research in these man-made wetlands could be applied to more local communities with stormwater management programs as an eco-friendly and cost-effective solution to improving water quality.
The wetlands will require maintenance over time, but with preventative measures will be a fixture at Lake Kyle for years to come. From shore, residents will get to enjoy the educational, eco-friendly, and attractive addition to our natural parkland.
Dr. San Hwang is directing the HEDGE (Hwang Eco-friendly Development for Green Environment) Lab at Texas State University. His research group members participating in this project are:
- Prajwal Bhattarai (PhD student)
- Baylee Hartman (MS student)
- Kindness Etu (MS student)
- Pranesha Dangol (undergraduate student)
- Bibek Paudel (undergraduate student)
- Angely Irizarry Chico (undergraduate student)
- Amara Attune (undergraduate student)
