Törnebybäcken, a stream which drains most of the Kalmar countryside just west of Kalmar, is one of the municipality's most nutrient-loaded water bodies. Kalmar airport contributes to the supply of mainly nitrogen that is used to keep the runways unfrozen. Through a unique partnership between CAA and Kalmar municipality, a large proportion of mainly nitrogen, but also phosphorus that would otherwise be added to the West Lake (a bay of the Baltic Sea), are deleted in the landscaped wetland park Kalmar Dämme. It is nature's own treatment plant, where a whole series of natural processes occur that reduce nitrogen and phosphorus.
When arriving at Kalmar city from the south entrance you can see the Wetland Park Kalmar Dämme, a constructed wetland of great natural beauty. The facility with low-tech purification methods includes several basins that are drowned by Törnebybäckens water, a creek loaded with nutrients from the airport and from farming. The wetland park reduces nitrogen and phosphorus that otherwise would have been added to the Baltic Sea. Kalmar Airport is a supplier of nitrogen from urea which is used to keep the runways free from ice. Farmers in the area also add a significant proportion of nutrients into Törnebybäckens water. Thanks to the plant, the water is largely purified. This is a joint project between the Swedish CAA (Svenska Luftfartverket) and Kalmar County. The project has also entered into a research project on nitrogen reduction, especially the conversion of urea, performed at Linnaeus University of Kalmar. In connection with the construction of Kalmar Dämme an accessible area for recreation was created, that provided a very good development of a rich flora and fauna of the wetland dependent species in favour. It is nature's own cleaning system, where series of natural processes occur that reduce nitrogen and phosphorus. Kalmar Dämme has a total water area of about 18 hectares. Vatten och Samhällsteknik AB has developed the basic concept, engineering consultancy, environmental impact assessment and project planning. Read more at http://www.vosteknik.se
Sustainable Sweden South East