Multi-method assessment of nitrate and pesticide contamination in shallow alluvial groundwater as a function of hydrogeological setting and land use

Andrade, André Santana; Stigter, Tibor

doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2009.07.014

Cited by 92 publications

(43 citation statements)

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“…Several authors have discussed the link between land use practices, hydrological conditions and N availability (Andrade and Stigter, 2009;Badruzzaman et al, 2012;Kaçaroglu, 1999). Although nitrate is often not the major form of N application to agricultural land, it is usually the major form observed in recharge (Böhlke, 2002).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mobilisation or dilution? Nitrate response of karst springs to high rainfall events

Huebsch

Fenton

Horan

et al. 2014

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Nitrate (NO −3 ) contamination of groundwater associated with agronomic activity is of major concern in many countries. Where agriculture, thin free draining soils and karst aquifers coincide, groundwater is highly vulnerable to nitrate contamination. As residence times and denitrification potential in such systems are typically low, nitrate can discharge to surface waters unabated. However, such systems also react quickest to agricultural management changes that aim to improve water quality. In response to storm events, nitrate concentrations can alter significantly, i.e. rapidly decreasing or increasing concentrations. The current study examines the response of a specific karst spring situated on a grassland farm in South Ireland to rainfall events utilising high-resolution nitrate and discharge data together with onfarm borehole groundwater fluctuation data. Specifically, the objectives of the study are to formulate a scientific hypothesis of possible scenarios relating to nitrate responses during storm events, and to verify this hypothesis using additional case studies from the literature. This elucidates the controlling key factors that lead to mobilisation and/or dilution of nitrate concentrations during storm events. These were land use, hydrological condition and karstification, which in combination can lead to differential responses of mobilised and/or diluted nitrate concentrations. Furthermore, the results indicate that nitrate response in karst is strongly dependent on nutrient source, whether mobilisation and/or dilution occur and on the pathway taken. This will have consequences for the delivery of nitrate to a surface water receptor. The current study improves our understanding of nitrate responses in karst systems and therefore can guide environmental modellers, policy makers and drinking water managers with respect to the regulations of the European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive (WFD). In future, more research should focus on the high-resolution monitoring of karst aquifers to capture the high variability of hydrochemical processes, which occur at time intervals of hours to days.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mobilisation or dilution? Nitrate response of karst springs to high rainfall events

Huebsch

Fenton

Horan

et al. 2014

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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“…From that perspective, this research approaches the integral techniques of water and soil analysis, linking physicochemical and biological variables through a multivariate analysis (Andrade and Stigter 2009). The objective was to generate a tool that assesses the spatial and temporal dynamics of the water quality in Andean basin areas, considering the influence of agricultural activities in water management.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Productive Activities on the Water Quality for Human Consumption in an Andean Basin, a Case Study

Ruiz

Idrobo

Sarmiento

et al. 2017

Rev. Int. Contam. Ambie.

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Productive activities such as agriculture and livestock have transformed the Andean basins in South America. In accordance with this statement, the objective of this study was to assess the water quality of "Las Piedras" river located in an Andean basin with 6626 ha in Colombian Highlands. This study analyzed nutrient inputs from agricultural production, spatial crops distribution, human activities and their influence on the ecological state of the river. The evaluation integrated physicochemical and biological parameters in the indexes of water quality, pollution and the aquatic macroinvertebrates community. Results showed that aggregated crop fields occupy 25.2 % in the basin and the biological water quality through the Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP) index denotes the presence of tolerant-pollution organisms, additionally the biodiversity was low (Shannon H´1.1). The water quality in the river satisfies the Colombian regulation criteria for human consumption, even higher concentrations of nutrients in the lower area with 2.20 mg/L nitrates and 1.49 mg/L of phosphates, besides the loss of nutrients by runoff, which was 2.57 mg/L nitrates in the middle area and 0.18 mg/L phosphates in the upper area. In this sense, the nutrient concentration input increases toward the lower area of the basin because of the crop distribution. The agricultural land use modified the hydrological ecosystem services by decreasing the basin water regulatory capacity and nutrients input to the main stream.Palabras clave: contaminación hídrica, agricultura, distribución espacial de los cultivos, biodiversidad, agua potable RESUMENLas actividades productivas como la agricultura y la ganadería han transformado las cuencas andinas de América del Sur. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la calidad del agua en la cuenca del río Las Piedras (6626 ha), localizada en la alta montaña colombiana. Se analizaron los aportes de nutrientes a partir de la producción agrícola, distribución espacial de cultivos, actividades humanas y su influencia en el estado ecológico del río. La evaluación integró los parámetros físicos, químicos y biológicos en índices de calidad del agua, de contaminación y de macroinvertebrados acuáticos. Los resultados mostraron que los cultivos ocupan el 25.2 % de la cuenca, la calidad biológica del agua según el 362índice del Grupo de Trabajo de Monitoreo Biológico (BMWP, por sus siglas en inglés) evidenció la presencia de organismos tolerantes a la contaminación y baja biodiversidad (Shannon H' 1.1). La calidad del agua es apta para consumo humano según los estándares establecidos por la normatividad Colombiana. Sin embargo, se encontraron altas concentraciones de nutrientes en la zona baja del río con 2.20 mg/L de nitratos y 1.49 mg/L de fosfatos, adicionalmente los aportes de nutrientes en escorrentía superficial fueron de 2.57 mg/L de nitratos en la zona media y 0.18 mg/L de fosfatos en la zona alta. En este sentido, se observó que el ingreso de nutrientes aumenta hacia la zona baja de la cuenca deb...

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“…Nitrate leaching from agricultural lands to shallow groundwater has been reported in many regions around the world (Andrade and Stigter 2009). Elevated nitrate levels in groundwater can be sourced from nitrogen fertilizers and manure, oxidation of organically bound nitrogen in soils, cattle feed lots, septic tanks and sewage discharge.…”

Section: Anthropogenic Threats To Groundwater Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems: Classification, Identification Techniques and Threats

Eamus

Springer

et al. 2016

Integrated Groundwater Management

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This chapter begins by briefly discussing the three major classes of groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDEs), namely: (I) GDEs that reside within groundwater (e.g. karsts; stygofauna); (II) GDEs requiring the surface expression of groundwater (e.g. springs; wetlands); and (III) GDEs dependent upon sub-surface availability of groundwater within the rooting depth of vegetation (e.g. woodlands; riparian forests). We then discuss a range of techniques available for identifying the location of GDEs in a landscape, with a primary focus of class III GDEs and a secondary focus of class II GDEs. These techniques include inferential methodologies, using hydrological, geochemical and geomorphological indicators, biotic assemblages, historical documentation, and remote sensing methodologies. Techniques available to quantify groundwater use by GDEs are briefly described, including application of simple modelling tools, remote sensing methods and complex modelling applications. This chapter also outlines the contemporary threats to the persistence of GDEs across the world. This involves a description of the "natural" hydrological attributes relevant to GDEs and the

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Multi-method assessment of nitrate and pesticide contamination in shallow alluvial groundwater as a function of hydrogeological setting and land use

Cited by 92 publications

References 58 publications

Mobilisation or dilution? Nitrate response of karst springs to high rainfall events

Mobilisation or dilution? Nitrate response of karst springs to high rainfall events

Effects of Productive Activities on the Water Quality for Human Consumption in an Andean Basin, a Case Study

Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems: Classification, Identification Techniques and Threats

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