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TECHNICAL REPORTS

Wetland and Aquatic Processes

Phosphorus Retention in Small Constructed Wetlands Treating Agricultural Drainage Water

Swiss Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology (EAWAG) and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Limnological Research Center, CH-6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland

^* Corresponding author (miriam.reinhardt{at}eawag.ch)

Received for publication August 20, 2004. The construction of artificial wetlands has become a measure increasingly applied to reduce nonpoint-source (NPS) pollution and to contribute to the restoration of eutrophic lakes and coastal waters. In a 2-yr study monitoring fluxes of particulate and dissolved phosphorus (P) in a small artificial wetland for the treatment of agricultural drainage water in Central Switzerland, water residence time was identified as the main factor controlling P retention in the system. Since most of the annual P load (62% as dissolved reactive phosphorus, DRP) was related to high discharge events, it was not average but minimum water residence time during flood events that determined the wetland's P retention. In agreement with a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) model, our investigations suggest a minimum water residence time of 7 d to retain at least 50% of the bioavailable P. The investigated wetland retained only 2% of the bioavailable P, since the water residence time was shorter than 7 d during 61% of time in both years. Settling of phytoplankton rather than DRP uptake into phytoplankton limited the retention of bioavailable P. The overall retention efficiency of 23% total phosphorus (TP), corresponding to a surface related retention of 1.1 g P m^–2 yr^–1, was due to the efficient trapping of pedogenic particles.

Abbreviations: DNRP, dissolved nonreactive phosphorus • DP, dissolved phosphorus • DRP, dissolved reactive phosphorus • NPS, nonpoint source • PP, particulate phosphorus • TP, total phosphorus

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JEQ 2005 34: v. [Full Text]  

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