What type of BMP is designed to improve water quality through physical filtration?

The type of Best Management Practice (BMP) designed specifically to improve water quality through physical filtration is constructed wetlands. These systems mimic natural wetland processes, promoting the removal of pollutants through a combination of physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms.

Constructed wetlands feature a substrate that facilitates the filtration of water as it flows through the system. The vegetation within the wetland also plays a critical role in stabilizing sediments and providing habitat for microorganisms that further break down pollutants, enhancing the water purification process. This makes them particularly effective for treating stormwater runoff, which can carry various contaminants.

Other BMPs such as detention basins and retention ponds primarily focus on managing stormwater quantity by controlling flow rates and volumes, while filter strips can aid in pollutant removal but do so in a more limited capacity and often rely more on vegetation to slow down water flow rather than complex filtration processes. Thus, constructed wetlands stand out as specialized systems designed to significantly improve water quality through comprehensive filtration.