A model on a physico-biological engineering experiment for purifying water in Wulihu Bay of Lake Taihu by using Trapa natans var. bispinosa was constructed. The state variables in water in the physico-biological engineering were ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N); nitrate nitrogen (NO₃^--N); nitrite nitrogen (NO₂^--N); phosphate phosphorus (PO₄^3--P); dissolved oxygen (DO); nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in detritus; biomass density, N and P in phytoplankton and in Trapa natans var. bispinosa, N and P in the substance adsorbed by the membrane of the engineering and the rootstocks of Trapa natans var. bispinosa. The state variables in bottom mud layer were PO₄^3--P in the core water,exchangeable P and N. The external forcing functions were solar radiation, water temperature, NH₄⁺-N; NO₃^--N; NO₂^--N; PO₄^3--P; N and P in detritus; DO; phytoplankton concentrations in inflow water and the retention time of the water in physico-biological engineering channel. The main physical, chemical and biological processes considered in the model were:growth of Trapa natans var. bispinosa and phytoplankton; oxidation of NH₄⁺-N and NO₂^--N, of detritus break down; N and P sorption by the enclosure cloth of the experimental engineering and by the rootstocks of Trapa natans var. bispinosa in water; reaeration of water; uptake of P, NH₄⁺-N, NO₃^--N by phytoplankton and Trapa natans var. bispinosa:mortality of the phytoplankton and Trapa natans var. bispinosa:settling of detritus; and nutrient release from sediment. Comparison of calculated results and observed results showed that the model was constructed reasonably for the experiment. The mechanism of purifying lake water in the experiment engineering was discussed by the use of the model.