Descriptive Fields
The identification of Natural Small Water Retention Measures (NSWRM) in OPTAIN followed a structured and participatory approach. Rather than directly implementing measures in the field, the project aimed to systematically identify, characterise and parameterise measures that could be assessed within process-based modelling and optimisation frameworks.
Measure identification was conducted at case study level, taking into account:
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catchment-specific hydrological conditions,
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dominant agricultural practices,
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soil and climate characteristics,
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existing water and nutrient management challenges,
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stakeholder knowledge and local experience.
The objective was to compile a context-relevant portfolio of potential NSWRM that could subsequently be parameterised within hydrological and nutrient transport models (e.g., SWAT+, SWAP).
This identification phase ensured that modelling scenarios were grounded in realistic agricultural and environmental conditions while remaining analytically consistent across case studies. It also allowed the project to compare different types of measures — structural, vegetative and management-based — under harmonised performance indicators.
Importantly, identification does not imply field implementation within OPTAIN. Measures were selected for simulation-based evaluation and optimisation, not for physical deployment.