The Cechticky stream catchment case study is located at the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. The catchment area is about 72 km2, most of which is used as agricultural land (69%); cropland covers 59% of catchment area. Čechtický stream catchment is a part of the Želivka river basin with Švihov drinking water reservoir where persist problems with unstable water quality (phosphorus, nitrogen, pesticides pollution). The area is facing a threat of soil erosion on large field blocks, and endangered soil quality by dehuminification, soil compaction, together with increasing periods of drought. There are dense tile drainage systems in this area which are prevailingly still functioning, but problems are increasing over time(technical status, failures, undue runoff, worsened water quality).
OPTAIN aims to develop strategies and advanced tools for designing and evaluating the effectiveness of Natural Small Water Retention Measures taking into account the principles of their feasibility in small agricultural river basins in terms of increasing water accumulation and retention and improving water quality. Emphasis will be placed on measures on agricultural drainage systems in terms of possibility of their modernization, regulation, professional elimination.
