A new modelling approach for phosphorus mobility and retention processes in the Oxundaån catchment, Sweden

• Eutrophication is the most significant threat towater quality in the entire Baltic Sea region. Its causes are nutrientover-enrichment from diffuse and point sources. Thematic strategies forsustainable mitigation of phosphorus loss from sewage drainage systems andrunoffs from arable land require a holistic approach to identify the criticalpolluting sources and implement relevant policy for adaptive water qualitymanagement. The use of constructed wetlands constitutes one such strategy thatcan mitigate phosphorus loss. However, insufficient understanding about phosphorusmobility and retention in catchments significantly hinders efforts to identifysuitable sites for constructed wetlands and implement alternative, adaptive andeffective management actions. This study aims to evaluate the long-termphosphorus mobility and retention in the Oxudaån catchment in Sweden, andthereby propose suitable sites to localize constructed wetlands. The Soil andWater Assessment watershed model was applied to map and quantify the phosphorusloading from diffuse and point sources under the scenarios of land usemanagement practices. Simulation results have demonstrated the positivecorrelation between the phosphorus concentration with the surface runoffs andnegative correlation with the pH. Overall, Oxundaån catchment indicates a decreasingtrend of phosphorus loading in the Verkaån and Oxundaån riverine of around 2.1% and 1.3 % per year, respectively. The present study suggests the suitablesites for localizing constructed wetlands in the south-west and north-east ofOxundaån lake based on the factor of low slope topography and soilpermeability. The simulation results from the SWAT model offer evidence thatcan guide the localization and choice of management interventions to achieve asustainable mitigation of phosphorus loss. This study concludes that, while singlemanagement actions can help solve the problem of eutrophication, a moreeffective and sustainable mitigation of eutrophication will require the integrationof multiple adaptive land use management approaches.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Samhällsbyggnadsteknik -- Vattenteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Civil Engineering -- Water Engineering (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Sediment erosion; Constructed wetlands; Phosphorus retentions;Adaptive management; Watershed modelling

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)