This paper presents treatment efficiency and plant growth of a surface-flow constructed wetland system (30 meter in length and 10 meter in width) over one year after its establishment on a floodplain of a stream. Cattails (Typha angustiflora) grown on pots were transplanted on one half of its area from inlets and reeds (Phragmites australis) on another half from an outlet. Effluent discharged from a secondary-level treatment plant was funneled into the system. The stems of cattails and reeds emerging in April 2001 grew up to 165.9 cm and 95.3 cm, respectively until July 2001. The number of stems of cattails arid reeds in July 2001 increased by 65% and 100%, respectively, compared with that just after their planting. The growth of cattails was better than that of reeds during study period. The removal rates for SS, $BOD_5$, T-N and T-P was 33%, 43%, 31%, and 51%, respectively. The system was inundated seven times by storms over the monitoring period, which disturbed its environment and led to its lower treatment rates. The increase of SS concentration in effluent after inundation of the system was attributed to the falls of soil particles onto its water surface, which had been attached to the emergent plants by floods. Purification rates for T-N were relatively low for the period of late fall through winter until early spring due to lower water temperature which may have retarded microbial nitrification and denitrification mechanisms. Reduction in T-P concentration during fall and winter was relatively higher than that during summer and spring, which may have resulted from no system perturbations by floods and heavy storms during fall and winter.