Abstract: Caohai is a typical plateau shallow freshwater lake located in Guizhou Province. In recent years, the environmental problems in Caohai have become increasingly severe. The sharp decline in submerged vegetation leads to a significant deterioration in ecosystem quality and service functions. With the MIKE21 numerical model, we investigated the impacts of wind disturbance on the wetland restoration strategies for Caohai. By simulating hydrodynamic characteristics under different wind conditions, we analyzed the changes in current speed and water quality before and after the degradation of submerged vegetation. The results showed that the degradation of submerged vegetation led to a significant increase in current velocity, with an average increase of 59%, and a maximum velocity reaching 0.037 m·s^-1 under average wind conditions. Additionally, wind disturbance caused sediment resuspension and increased the concentrations of phosphate and COD in the water, thereby exacerbating eutrophication and pollution. These findings demonstrate that wind disturbance has negative impacts on the recovery of submerged vegetation. Therefore, wetland restoration strategies should comprehensively consider reducing the impact of wind disturbance on hydrodynamics and water quality, adopt integrated measures to protect and restore submerged plants, and enhance the stability and service functions of wetland ecosystems.

Key words: MIKE21, plateau shallow freshwater lake, wind disturbance, wetland restoration, numerical simulation