<p>This study evaluates the retention of nitrogen and phosphorus in four newly constructed wetlands in the municipality of Falkenberg, Sweden. The four wetlands have been selected because they have been specifically constructed with the aim to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in farming areas. The process of selecting the specific wetlands has been done in collaboration with the county administration in Halland.</p><p> </p><p>Through field studies in collaboration with the landowners where the wetlands are sited, the areas that provide the wetlands with water were determined. The size of these drainage areas were determined in a GIS computer program. The type of land use within the drainage areas was also determined. During April 2010, water sampling in the wetlands was done and the water temperature and the flow of water was measured or calculated. Later the water samples were analyzed for containment of nitrogen (N-tot) and phosphorus (P-tot).</p><p> </p><p>An important part of the work was modeling calculation of the load of nutrients that reach the wetlands and the retention of nutrients in the same wetlands. Both simulated values and measured mean values during April 2010 of nitrogen (N-tot) and phosphorus (P-tot) were used in the models. Actual calculations of the nutrient retention during April 2010 were also done based on the flow of water and the concentrations of the nutrients in the in- and outflow of the wetlands. Another important factor that also has been calculated in the models is cost efficiency of nutrient retention in the wetlands. All four evaluated wetlands have been constructed with financial support from the county administration in Halland. The landowners may also receive a yearly benefit for maintaining the function of nutrient retention.</p><p> </p><p>The results of modeling and actual calculations show that the evaluated wetlands can be divided into two groups. In one of the groups the cost of construction has been considerably higher then the other group of wetlands. The first group of wetlands has smaller drainage areas with a lower proportion of cropland than the other group. Larger drainage areas with a higher proportion of cropland provide the wetlands in the second group with a higher flow of water that contains a higher load of nutrients. This means that these wetlands remove higher amounts of nutrients on a yearly basis. The group of evaluated wetlands that have the largest drainage areas with a higher proportion of cropland is also the group of wetlands that had the smallest costs of construction. These wetlands are therefore considerably more efficient in the terms of costs for nutrient retention than the other wetlands.</p><p> </p><p>The conclusions that can be drawn by this evaluation are that the larger drainage area that provide the wetland with water and the higher part of croplands within the same drainage area the better the modeling calculation describe the actual retention of nutrients. Furthermore the conclusion can be drawn that if only a wetlands drainage area is known and the land use within the same drainage area also is known; the retention of nutrients in the wetland can be calculated before the wetland is constructed. If the county administration request for an estimate of construction costs before a decision of financial support and obtains data of the size of the drainage area and land use within the drainage area, it is possible to evaluate the cost efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus retention in the wetland. From this, wetland projects that should be given a higher priority than other wetland projects could be selected.</p>

This study evaluates the retention of nitrogen and phosphorus in four newly constructed wetlands in the municipality of Falkenberg, Sweden. The four wetlands have been selected because they have been specifically constructed with the aim to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in farming areas. The process of selecting the specific wetlands has been done in collaboration with the county administration in Halland.   Through field studies in collaboration with the landowners where the wetlands are sited, the areas that provide the wetlands with water were determined. The size of these drainage areas were determined in a GIS computer program. The type of land use within the drainage areas was also determined. During April 2010, water sampling in the wetlands was done and the water temperature and the flow of water was measured or calculated. Later the water samples were analyzed for containment of nitrogen (N-tot) and phosphorus (P-tot).   An important part of the work was modeling calculation of the load of nutrients that reach the wetlands and the retention of nutrients in the same wetlands. Both simulated values and measured mean values during April 2010 of nitrogen (N-tot) and phosphorus (P-tot) were used in the models. Actual calculations of the nutrient retention during April 2010 were also done based on the flow of water and the concentrations of the nutrients in the in- and outflow of the wetlands. Another important factor that also has been calculated in the models is cost efficiency of nutrient retention in the wetlands. All four evaluated wetlands have been constructed with financial support from the county administration in Halland. The landowners may also receive a yearly benefit for maintaining the function of nutrient retention.   The results of modeling and actual calculations show that the evaluated wetlands can be divided into two groups. In one of the groups the cost of construction has been considerably higher then the other group of wetlands. The first group of wetlands has smaller drainage areas with a lower proportion of cropland than the other group. Larger drainage areas with a higher proportion of cropland provide the wetlands in the second group with a higher flow of water that contains a higher load of nutrients. This means that these wetlands remove higher amounts of nutrients on a yearly basis. The group of evaluated wetlands that have the largest drainage areas with a higher proportion of cropland is also the group of wetlands that had the smallest costs of construction. These wetlands are therefore considerably more efficient in the terms of costs for nutrient retention than the other wetlands.   The conclusions that can be drawn by this evaluation are that the larger drainage area that provide the wetland with water and the higher part of croplands within the same drainage area the better the modeling calculation describe the actual retention of nutrients. Furthermore the conclusion can be drawn that if only a wetlands drainage area is known and the land use within the same drainage area also is known; the retention of nutrients in the wetland can be calculated before the wetland is constructed. If the county administration request for an estimate of construction costs before a decision of financial support and obtains data of the size of the drainage area and land use within the drainage area, it is possible to evaluate the cost efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus retention in the wetland. From this, wetland projects that should be given a higher priority than other wetland projects could be selected.