Resumo. Abstract Aim: The aim of this research was to evaluate the nutrient retention of Riacho Fundo’s wetland in controlling Lake Paranoá (Brasilia, Brazil) eutrophication analyzing its ability to retain nitrogen and phosphorus. Furthermore, the article aimed at verifying the multitemporal growth rate of Riacho Fundo’s wetland. Methods Five sampling points were distributed along the wetland, from its beginning to its outflow into Lake Paranoá. Twenty-five field campaigns during periods of drought and rain from November 2011 to October 2012 with intervals of fifteen days were accomplished. The parameters total nitrogen and total phosphorus were analyzed and for comparison between the sampling points a non-parametric statistical analysis was performed and the efficiency of retention of these parameters between input and outputs of the wetland was calculated. For the analysis of multitemporal pace of growth in the area of wetland, water area and was estimated by processed satellite images of the years 1973, 1985, 1995, 2005 and 2011. Results The general behavior of the analyzed nutrients was decay between the entry point and exit point of showing an overall average retention of nitrogen 36.66% and 33.95% overall average total phosphorus. By image processing was possible to estimate that the surface of the lake was lost 0.5273 km2 or 84.07% of the initial area in the range of 38 years. Conclusion Despite having lost water area, Lake Paranoá gained a natural filter that retains nutrients that could be being invested in it and so can cause eutrophication of its waters. Thus, the wetland provides an ecological service of water treatment and preservation of aquatic and terrestrial Lake Paranoá life and the wetland should be considered as an importanttheme in Lake Paranoá management.