The field scale experiment was performed to examine the effect of plant coverage on the constructed wetland performance and recommend the optimum development and management of macrophyte communities. Four sets(each set of 0.88ha) of wetland (0.8ha) and pond(0.08ha) systems were used. Water flowing into the Seokmoon estuarine reservoir from the Dangjin stream was pumped into wetland system. Water depth was maintained at 0.3～0.5m and hydraulic retention time was managed to about 2～5days; emergent plants were allowed to grow in the wetlands. After three growing seasons of the construction of wetlands, plant coverage was about 95%, even with no plantation, from bare soil surfaces at the initial stage. Dead vegetation affected nitrogen removal during winter because it is a source of organic carbon which is an essential parameter in denitrification. Biomass harvesting is not a realistic management option for most constructed wetland systems because it could only slightly increase the removal rate and provide a minor nitrogen removal pathway due to lack of organic carbon.