How to Select NSWRM

Selecting appropriate Natural Small Water Retention Measures (NSWRM) requires a structured and context-specific approach. NSWRM do not perform uniformly across regions: their effectiveness depends on soil properties, hydrological conditions, land use, climate, and spatial configuration within the catchment.

Within OPTAIN, the selection of NSWRM is not based on generic recommendations or field implementation trials. Instead, it relies on process-based modelling, multi-objective optimisation, and stakeholder-informed evaluation. The goal is to identify measure portfolios that best balance environmental, agricultural, and economic objectives under current and future climate conditions.