Phosphorus Transport and Buffering by Two Streams in an Agricultural Watershed PDF Download

Author: Douglas A. Bell
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Chippewa River
Languages : en
Pages : 126

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Author: Anna Kusmer
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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"Phosphorus (P) is a non-renewable resource that is an essential element for agricultural crop production. However, when excess P enters fresh and coastal water systems, it can result in undesirable impacts such as the excessive growth of algae species and oxygen depletion. Millions of tonnes of P are applied to agricultural lands every year in the form of phosphate fertilizer to increase yields. While some of this P is taken up by crops, much is left on the land, and this P has a tendency to stay in the soil, which results in a build-up of P in agricultural landscapes that can last years or even centuries. This build-up of historic P inputs, also known as "legacy P", represents a threat to surrounding water bodies because erosion and runoff processes can transport P-enriched soils to water systems.The processes that transport P from upland soils to water bodies are varied depending on the biological and biophysical features of the landscape as well as the human management features of the landscape. Together, these features mediate the residence time of P in the soils and landscape. The ability of a watershed to retain historic P inputs is its "buffering capacity", its ability to buffer the water quality from the impact of current and historic P inputs to the watershed. In this thesis, I ask, "how does buffering capacity vary among watersheds in southern Quebec over a thirty-year period of intensive farming?" and "which watershed characteristics impact watersheds' buffering capacity and the transport of legacy P from land to water systems?"I used two different methods to determine the buffering capacity of watersheds. One method compares the long-term P accumulation of a watershed to current day riverine P flux values. I call this the Buffering Index (BI). The other method, known as Extended End-Member Mixing Analysis (E-EMMA) uses hydrological modeling to estimate the degree to which P is retained and released by watershed ecosystems as water moves through the landscape. These two values were calculated for sixteen different watersheds in the Saint Lawrence Basin, in Quebec, Canada, spanning a thirty-year period (1981-2011). I then compared these values to geochemical, hydrological, landscape, and socio-ecological factors to determine which factors are important in predicting buffering capacity. All of the study watersheds have been accumulating P in their soils throughout the study period. My comparison of average riverine P flux values with average NAPI values showed that the study watersheds retained, on average, between 58% and 97% of net imported P in a given year. In general, watersheds with more P accumulation have higher riverine P flux; however, in many watersheds, riverine P flux has decreased over the study period, despite the fact that the amount of P accumulation in the watersheds has continued to mount over this time. I found a range of BI and E-EMMA values among the watersheds, along with a range of geochemical, hydrological, landscape, and socio-ecological characteristics. There was no correlation between the two buffering metrics calculated for the watersheds suggesting that these two metrics measure different buffering phenomena. However, each of the buffering indicators correlate with various watershed characteristics. This suggests that geochemistry, hydrology, and landscape features may, indeed, play a role in determining various aspects of the overall buffering capacity of watersheds. Determining which landscape features impact agricultural landscape buffering capacity can help us to understand how landscapes can be managed to increase their resilience to external pressure and identify leverage points for more holistic land management. A greater understanding of how buffering capacity is conferred on a watershed can also help identify which watersheds are particularly vulnerable to P pressure that could arise from changes in land use, including agricultural intensification and urbanization. " --

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Marine eutrophication
Languages : en
Pages : 152

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Author: Iordanis Vlasios Moustakidis
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Agricultural chemicals
Languages : en
Pages : 162

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This thesis presents an experimental study, both in the field and laboratory to cast more light on the primary role of the river floodplains in releasing and/or removing total-P to/from the in-stream load, under high runoff and flood conditions, by investigating the soil total-P spatial and vertical deposition patterns and topsoil erodibility, along the three (3) main river sections (e.g., headwaters, transfer and deposition zones) of an agricultural watershed, such as the Turkey River (TR). In soils, phosphorus, P, primarily exists as sediment-bound and less often as dissolved. During wet hydrological years, soil erosion and surface runoff are the main P release and transport mechanisms, while during dry hydrological years, P leaches to the deeper soil levels and is transported to freshwaters through groundwater discharge. In between the upland areas and the river network, there is a buffer zone, known as floodplain that regulates the flux exchanges between these two watershed components. Floodplains play an essential role in the riverine system health by supporting important physical and biochemical processes and improving the water quality downstream. These characteristics have led to the conclusion that floodplains primarily act as sinks for P. However, floodplains are subject to erosion as well, where soil particles along with the attached P are removed from the topsoil or enter re-suspension, under high runoff and flood conditions. The study provides an insight into the soil total-P deposition patterns across the floodplains of five (5) identified field sites and couples them with topsoil erodibility to eventually address the research objectives, which can be summarized as follows: (i) investigation of the soil total-P spatial and vertical variability across the floodplains along the main river zones and development of relationships between P variability and soil physical properties (e.g. soil texture); (ii) identification and characterization of the soil total-P deposition patterns across the floodplains (e.g., short- vs. long-term P deposition areas); and (iii) comparisons of the soil total-P concentrations and critical shear stresses among the main river zones and determination of their primary function either as P sources or sinks, under high runoff and flood conditions.

Author: Francisco Jesus Flores-Lopez
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Agricultural areas are assumed to contribute excessive nutrients to surface and ground water. However, little research has explored the impact of agricultural activity on alluvial valley soils in mountainous terrain. Soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and nitrate-N (NO3--N) concentrations were measured in 37 groundwater sampling wells, and 11 locations in two streams in an alluvial valley farm in the Catskill Mountains of New York State to assess the impact of agricultural activity on stream water quality. During the study period the farm implemented several near stream best management practices (BMPs), which allowed comparative analysis of the impact of BMPs on water quality. Analysis of measured SRP concentrations from shallow wells indicated that groundwater concentrations in the near stream area were not correlated with the instream concentrations. Despite over 100 years of manure application on the study farm stream SRP concentrations were generally below 0.1 mg L-1, with an average of 0.037 mg L-1, significantly less than those reported from surrounding hillside farms. The highest SRP concentrations were consistently measured at the shallowest groundwater depths. The NO3--N concentrations varied from the detection limit of 0.05 to 5 mg L-1 with an average of 2.2 mg L-1 similar to levels reported from other agricultural areas in the Catskills. The implementation of near stream BMPs, consisting of exclusionary fencing and cattle crossings, resulted in a 33% reduction (0.008 mg L-1) in stream SRP concentrations during the growing season. There was no detectable effect of the BMPs during the non-growing season. The NO3--N concentrations did not appear to be influenced by the BMP. The spatial variability of groundwater SRP indicated that SRP concentrations increased as the distance to the streams decreased. There was no a good relationship between concentrations in the groundwater riparian areas near stream and the stream itself where the SRP concentration in the groundwater around the stream was much greater than that in the stream. Temperature throughout the soil profile and depth to the groundwater table played an important role in the temporal availability of SRP in groundwater.

Author: Andrew N. Sharpley
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 9781566704946
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Using the Chesapeake Bay as a case study, Agriculture and Phosphorus Management discusses the impact and management of phosphorus in watersheds. Although urban and other sources contribute phosphorus to the Bay, the papers presented focus on how its role in agriculture impacts water quality. They review the new guidelines and legislation slated for implementation by 2002 directed towards sustainable nutrient management and strategies for implementing them. Phosphorus, an essential element for plant and animal growth, has long been recognized as necessary to eliminate deficiencies and to maintain profitable crop and livestock production. It can increase the biological productivity of surface waters by accelerating eutrophication. Human activities accelerate the rate of eutrophication - principally by increasing the rate at which phosphorus enters the aquatic system. Written by experts from a range of disciplines Agriculture and Phosphorus Management provides a deeper understanding of the diverse, dynamic, and complex factors controlling the impact of agricultural phosphorus management on production and water quality. Each contributor addresses the questions: what do we know, what do we still need to know, where are the major gaps in our knowledge, and how does the information relate to phosphorus management strategies in the Bay Watershed, and other watersheds? As a result this series of papers provides a unique collection of information of regional, national, and international significance and gives prioritized phosphorus management options for not only the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, but for watersheds around the world.

Author: Dani Newcomb
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 182

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Nonpoint source pollution by phosphorus and sediment is a wide-spread problem across the United States and specifically in Vermont and the Lake Champlain Basin. Best management of nonpoint source loading will likely involve a combination of land use and stream channel modifications, but few studies have comprehensively examined the relative importance of land use, streambank instability, and soil phosphorus. Thus, it is important to understand the associations between these characteristics, as well as their overall, relationship to watershed nutrient loading dynamics. The main objectives of this study were (1) to examine the impacts of land use at the watershed and near-stream scales on total suspended solids (TSS), total phosphorus (TP), and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), (2) to explore the links between geomorphic condition and phosphorus and sediment concentrations and loads throughout the watershed and at different spatial scales, and (3) to investigate the importance of soil phosphorus concentrations in stream banks in contributing to the overall phosphorus load. TP, SRP, and TSS samples were collected from eight sites located at tributary junctures and one site at the mouth of Hungerford Brook, a 50 km2 watershed in the Lake Champlain Basin, under storm and baseflow conditions. Rapid geomorphic assessment (RGA) scores, land use, and soil phosphorus concentrations were collected for reaches upstream of sampling locations. Both nested and unnested design multivariate modeling was used to evaluate the importance of characteristics in the individual subwatersheds (unnested) or the entire upstream watershed (nested). SRP, TP, and TSS were predicted as both concentrations and instantaneous loads, using raw quantifications of subwatershed characteristics as well as these same characteristics standardized by the area of agriculture in the subwatershed. Correlation coefficients and principal components analysis were used to select variables that were used in Akaike information criterion (AIC) model selection and stepwise regression. Unnested variables used were agriculture, agriculture in a streamside buffer, proportion of corn, slope, channel degradation, and soil phosphorus. For the nested design, agriculture, agriculture in the buffer, channel aggradation, RGA score, and soil phosphorus concentrations were used. Best fit models were selected based on AICc scores and overall model R2. n ANOVA was also performed on the percent difference between storm flow concentrations and average baseflow concentrations. Results indicate that phosphorus and sediment transport occurs mainly during storm events and concentrations greatly exceed state water quality standards. Concentrations of SRP and TP were significantly lower at the mouth of Hungerford Brook than in upstream subwatersheds, indicating that deposition and storage are occurring in this downstream part of the watershed. SRP concentrations appear to be best explained by agriculture in the riparian buffer, while TP and TSS are influenced by agricultural land use at multiple spatial scales. Agricultural land use was associated with increased stream instability. These findings suggest that additional phosphorus and sediment management, targeted at increasing stream stability and reducing impacts from agriculture, are needed in order to reduce the overall load traveling to Lake Champlain.

Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309172683
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 569

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In 1997, New York City adopted a mammoth watershed agreement to protect its drinking water and avoid filtration of its large upstate surface water supply. Shortly thereafter, the NRC began an analysis of the agreement's scientific validity. The resulting book finds New York City's watershed agreement to be a good template for proactive watershed management that, if properly implemented, will maintain high water quality. However, it cautions that the agreement is not a guarantee of permanent filtration avoidance because of changing regulations, uncertainties regarding pollution sources, advances in treatment technologies, and natural variations in watershed conditions. The book recommends that New York City place its highest priority on pathogenic microorganisms in the watershed and direct its resources toward improving methods for detecting pathogens, understanding pathogen transport and fate, and demonstrating that best management practices will remove pathogens. Other recommendations, which are broadly applicable to surface water supplies across the country, target buffer zones, stormwater management, water quality monitoring, and effluent trading.

Author: Mark D. Munn
Publisher: United States Department of the Interior
ISBN: 9781411341838
Category : Biotic communities
Languages : en
Pages : 92

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"National Water-Quality Assessment Project."

Author: Stefan Schmutz
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319732501
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 562

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Book Description
This open access book surveys the frontier of scientific river research and provides examples to guide management towards a sustainable future of riverine ecosystems. Principal structures and functions of the biogeosphere of rivers are explained; key threats are identified, and effective solutions for restoration and mitigation are provided. Rivers are among the most threatened ecosystems of the world. They increasingly suffer from pollution, water abstraction, river channelisation and damming. Fundamental knowledge of ecosystem structure and function is necessary to understand how human acitivities interfere with natural processes and which interventions are feasible to rectify this. Modern water legislation strives for sustainable water resource management and protection of important habitats and species. However, decision makers would benefit from more profound understanding of ecosystem degradation processes and of innovative methodologies and tools for efficient mitigation and restoration. The book provides best-practice examples of sustainable river management from on-site studies, European-wide analyses and case studies from other parts of the world. This book will be of interest to researchers in the field of aquatic ecology, river system functioning, conservation and restoration, to postgraduate students, to institutions involved in water management, and to water related industries.