Unexpected nationwide nitrate declines in groundwater of Korea

Elevated levels of nitrate in groundwater are an important concern for health and the environment. The overapplication of nitrogen fertilizer to croplands is one of the major sources of high nitrate content in groundwater. In this study, we analyse the nitrate concentrations in Korean groundwater based on data from groundwater quality monitoring wells (n = 1,022–2,072), which were sampled twice annually over a recent 13‐year analysis period (2001–2013). We report that groundwater nitrate levels are decreasing, despite steadily increasing groundwater use. The maximum nitrate concentration decreased from 168.91 to 48.11 mg/L, whereas the mean values also show a gradual decreasing trend. Non‐parametric Mann–Kendall tests on nitrate concentrations also confirm the decreasing trend. The nitrate decrease is more clearly evident in agricultural groundwater as compared to domestic and drinking groundwaters. This decrease of nitrate in groundwater coincides with a large decline in nitrogen fertilizer application due to reduced cropland areas, more sustainable agricultural practices, and progressive improvement of sewage disposal services. This study proposes that the long‐term adoption of best practices in agriculture has had a positive impact on groundwater nitrate control.     

Evaluating nitrate uptake in a Rocky Mountain stream using labelled 15N and ambient nitrate chemistry

Background aqueous chemistry and ¹⁵N_nitrate tracer injection methods were used to calculate in‐stream nitrate uptake metrics at Red Canyon Creek, a third‐order stream in the Rocky Mountains in the state of Wyoming, United States. ‘Net’ nitrate uptake lengths, which reflect both nitrate uptake and regeneration, and ‘gross’ nitrate uptake lengths, which exclude re‐mineralization, were quantified separately from background nitrate chemistry and ¹⁵N labelling tracer data, respectively. Gross nitrate uptake lengths, from tracer injections of ¹⁵N labelled nitrate, ranged from 502 to 3140 m. Net nitrate uptake lengths, from background nitrate chemistry downstream of a point source, ranged from 1170 to 4330 m. Diurnal changes in uptake lengths suggest the importance of nitrate utilization by autotrophs in the stream and benthic zone. The differences between net and gross nitrate uptake lengths along lower reaches of Red Canyon Creek allowed us to estimate the nitrate regeneration rate, which was 0·056–0·080 µmol m^?2 s^?1 during the day and 0·0062–0·0083 µmol m^?2 s^?1 at night. Spatial patterns of streambed pore water chemistry indicate those areas of the hyporheic zone where denitrification was likely occurring. Permanent log dams generated stronger redox gradients in the hyporheic zone than areas with transient beaver dams. By combining isotopically labelled nitrate additions, estimates of uptake from background aqueous nitrate chemistry and characterization of redox conditions in the hyporheic zone, we were able to determine the nitrate regeneration rate and the redox processes responsible for nitrogen cycling in the hyporheic zone. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of transient storage on nitrate uptake lengths in streams: an inter‐site comparison

Surface water–groundwater interaction in the hyporheic zone may enhance biogeochemical cycling in streams, and it has been hypothesized that streams exchanging more water with the hyporheic zone should have more rapid nitrate utilization. We used simultaneous conservative solute and nitrate addition tracer tests to measure transient storage (which includes hyporheic exchange and in‐stream storage) and the rate of nitrate uptake along three reaches within the Red Canyon Creek watershed, Wyoming. We calibrated a one‐dimensional transport model, incorporating transient storage (OTIS‐P), to the conservative solute breakthrough curves and used the results to determine the degree of transient storage in each reach. The nitrate uptake length was quantified from the exponential decrease in nitrate concentration with distance during the tracer tests. Nitrate uptake along the most downstream reach of Red Canyon Creek was rapid (turnover time K^?1_c = 32 min), compared with nitrate uptake reported in other studies (K^?1_c = 12 to 551 min), but other sites within the watershed showed little nitrate retention or loss. The uptake length S_w‐NO^?₃ for the most downstream reach was 500 m and the mass transfer coefficient V_f‐NO^?₃ was 6·3 m min^?1. Results from 15 other nitrate‐addition tracer tests were used to create a regression model relating transient storage and measures of stream flow to nitrate uptake length. The model, which includes specific discharge and transient storage area, explains almost half the variability in nitrate uptake length (adjusted R² = 0·44) and is most effective for comparing sites with very different stream characteristics. Although large differences in specific discharge and storage zone area explain inter‐site differences in nitrate uptake, other unmeasured variables, such as available organic carbon and microbial community composition, are likely important for predicting differences in nitrate uptake between sites with similar specific discharge rates and storage zone areas, such as when making intra‐site comparisons. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Black Forest Observatory, Schiltach

The purpose of the geoscientific Observatory at Schiltach in the Black Forest in SW-Germany is to measure and monitor motions and deformations of the earth in a frequency band as broad as possible. The spectrum of geodynamic signal contains

• - the short period waves (up to 40 Hz) of near earthquakes,

• - the longer period body and surface waves from teleseismic events,

• - the free oscillations of the earth excited by giant earthquakes,

• - the earth tide deformations caused by the gravitational forces of the moon and the sun having periods of 12 h and longer,

• - deformations of the earth in a wide period range from other sources (e.g. atmosphere).

Besides providing high quality data with some continuity using ‘standard’ sensors, the observatory must be considered as an experimental station and research facility where new instruments and techniques can be tested.     

International standard (ISO) on seismic actions for designing geotechnical works–An overview

The seismic performance of geotechnical works is significantly affected by ground displacement. In particular, soil–structure interaction and effects of liquefaction play major roles and pose difficult problems for engineers. An International Standard, ISO23469, is being developed for addressing these issues in a systematic manner within a consistent framework. The objective of this paper is to give an overview of this International Standard.In this International Standard, the seismic actions are determined through two stages. The first stage determines basic seismic action variables, including the earthquake ground motion at the site, the potential for earthquake-associated phenomena such as liquefaction and induced lateral ground displacement. These basic variables are used, in the second stage, for specifying the seismic actions for designing geotechnical works. In the second stage, the soil–structure interaction plays a major role. Types of analyses are classified based on a combination of static/dynamic analyses and the procedure for soil–structure interaction classified as follows:

– simplified: soil–structure interaction of a global system is modeled as an action on a substructure;

– detailed: soil–structure interaction of a global system is modeled as a coupled system.

Detection of model voids by identifying reverberation phenomena in GPR records

In order to improve the reliability of the ground penetrating radar (GPR) method in identifying subsurface sinkholes and karst cavities, laboratory investigations have been performed. The main objective of this work was to examine the relationship between horizontal/vertical voids dimensions and wavelengths of various antennas, and the corresponding GPR responses. Emphasis was given to the investigation of the factors that cause the appearance of reverberation phenomena in the signal pattern.The tests were conducted in 5 m × 10 m area by 2-m-deep trench filled with homogenous, dry sand. The voids models (empty fiberglass cylinders in diameters of 0.6 m, 1.0 m, 1.5 m and 2.4 m, with various heights) were buried vertically with their tops at depths of between 0.7 and 1.5 m. Investigations were performed for the various model conditions by towing 500, 300 and 100 MHz antennas along a pre-established grid, for the various model conditions.The GPR data collected using the 500 MHz bistatic antenna above the 1.0-m- and the 1.5-m-diameter cylinders, and using the 300 MHz bistatic antenna above the 1.5-m-diameter cylinder, confirmed the presence of a reverberation phenomenon, i.e. a strong convex signal pattern, containing a series of high amplitude extending oscillations with reduced frequency.Based on past practical GPR experience of void detection and presently obtained experimental data, two rules of thumbs may be adopted for the prediction of the appearance of resonant radar pictures:

1. The void diameter larger than the wavelength in air of the antenna used.

2. The vertical size of the empty void not significantly smaller than its horizontal dimension.

The strong reverberations generated by the inner surface of the void targets were found to approximate standing waves generated in cylindrical waveguides and waveguide resonators. The theoretical, experimental and practical results obtained concur.     

Nitrate leaching through the unsaturated zone following pig slurry applications

As the increase of nitrate concentration in groundwater has often been ascribed to an inappropriate use of liquid manure, the main purpose of this study was to better understand the factors controlling nitrate dynamics in the unsaturated zone of soils subjected to characteristic agronomic practices, and to contribute to improving Action Programmes, with reference to EU Directive 91/676, for nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZ).Water infiltration and nitrate leaching have been studied in experimental fields located inside nitrate vulnerable zones of the Emilia-Romagna region (Northern Italy), characterized by different pedological and hydrogeological properties and equipped with meteorological station, tensiometers, ceramic-cup samplers and piezometers. This article describes the results obtained from one of these sites, monitored over a 6-year period, which was cereal cropped and treated with pig slurry. MACRO and SOILN field-scale models have been used in order to verify the reliability of simulated water flow and nitrogen transport.The results demonstrate how nitrogen inputs from slurry, substantially higher than crop uptake, cause nitrate accumulation in the surface layer of the soil especially in warm periods (concentrations of up to 300 mg NO₃–N l⁻¹ were found in soil water). Even if the soil texture was fine, the shrinking–swelling properties of clay minerals determined fast drainage conditions (related to macroporosity), so that during the early rainy periods nitrates leached through the first meters of the unsaturated zone, at least down to 4 m. This shows that nitrate accumulation should be limited before these periods, i.e. by reducing manure application rates, especially if the soil is to be left uncultivated.The model results confirm the observed role of macroporosity in accelerating the breakthrough of surface applied soluble compounds and provide evidence that MACRO and SOILN may be suitable tools for predicting such phenomena, even though their calibration requires some further refinements.     

Modelling of nitrate leaching from arable land into unsaturated soil and chalk 1. Development of a management model for applications of sewage sludge and fertilizer

A mathematical model has been produced to examine the impact of sewage sludge and fertilizer application to arable land and the effect of different crop regimes on the amount of nitrate leached to chalk groundwater. Previous work on nitrate leaching has concentrated on either a soil science or a hydrogeological approach with little overlap between the two. This study considered both fields to obtain an overall picture of the nitrate leaching process. IMPACT is a layered deterministic N-leaching model which predicts the nitrogen loads entering groundwater daily from arable land, and can be used as a management tool in development of sludge application and agricultural policy. The model relates nitrogen species movement resulting from the application of sewage sludge and fertilizer to differing vegetation-soil-hydrogeological conditions. Field data collected at three sites on the unconfined chalk aquifer of East Anglia, England over a two and a half year period was used to produce an initial conceptual model and to constrain the mathematical model during development. IMPACT simulates nitrogen and transport processes in the soil and unsaturated zone of the chalk. The nitrogen processes include: mineralisation of soil organic-N and sewage sludge organic-N, nitrification; crop uptake; volatilization; denitrification; and N inputs from fertilizers and precipitation. A mixing cell method is used to model solute transport in both the soil and chalk. Matrix flow and combined fissure-matrix flow are considered for the chalk. The model enables examination of the relationship between the arable/hydrogeological systems and the environmental implications of sludge application and of different arable regimes. Results are of use in developing strategies for arable farming and sludge application in areas sensitive to nitrate leaching. This Part 1 paper describes the model development approach. Results of associated modelling scenarios are presented separately in the associated Part 2 paper.     

Uptake and resource allocation of ammonium and nitrate in temperate seagrasses Posidonia and Amphibolis

Ecologically relevant estimates of seasonal variability in nitrogen uptake and allocation in two species of temperate seagrasses were obtained using in situ isotope-labelling approach. Significantly higher uptake rates of ammonium by leaves, roots and epiphytes of Amphibolis than Posidonia were observed. Overall, root uptake rates were lower than other components. Effect of season was not significant for leaves, roots or epiphytes of the two species. However, plankton uptake varied seasonally with higher rates in winter (0.98 mg N g⁻¹ DW h⁻¹). In contrast, nitrate uptake rates for various components were significantly affected by seasons. Uptake rates by plankton were highest ranging from 0.003 mg N g⁻¹ DW h⁻¹ (summer, Amphibolis) to 0.69 mg N g⁻¹ DW h⁻¹ (winter, Posidonia). Uptake of nitrate by roots was negligible. Biotic uptake rates for nitrate were an order of magnitude slower than ammonium, demonstrating an affinity for ammonium over nitrate as a preferred inorganic nitrogen source. Adelaide coastal waters have lost over 5000 ha of seagrasses, much of this attributed to nutrient inputs from wastewater, industrial and stormwater. Managing these inputs into future requires better understanding of the fate of nutrients, particularly biological uptake. This study attempts to quantify uptake rates of nitrogen by seagrasses.     

Monitoring and forecasting nitrate concentration in the groundwater using statistical process control and time series analysis: a case study

Contaminated water resources have important implications on health and the environment. Nitrate contamination of the groundwater is a serious problem in the European Union. A method based on the statistical process control (SPC) and time series analysis is developed to monitoring and to predict the concentration evolution of nitrate (NO₃ ⁻) in groundwater. In many pumping wells the NO₃ ⁻concentration ([NO₃ ⁻]) increases and approaches or even passes the European Community standard of 50 mg l⁻¹. The objective of this paper is to show the application of statistical process control as a monitoring tool for groundwater pollution from agricultural practices. We propose the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model as a management tool to monitoring and reduction of the intrusion of nitrate into the groundwater. This tool should help in setting up useful guidelines for evaluating actual environmental performance against the firm’s environmental objectives and targets and regulatory requirements. We concluded that the statistical process control method may be a potentially important way of monitoring groundwater quality that also permits rapid response to serious increases in pollutants concentrations. In doing so, the paper fills an important gap in the water pollution standards and emerging polices (Water Framework directives).