Reduction of Nitrate Loadings to Ground Water |
| |
| Authors: | Adel Shirmohammadi William L Magette Leslie L Shoemaker |
| |
| Institution: | Adel Shirmohammadi is assistant professor of Agricultural Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park (Agricultural Engineering Department, 1108 Shriver Lab, The University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742–5711). He received his B.S. in Iran, and his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska and North Carolina State University, respectively. His current research interests include transport and shallow water table management modeling to quantify the hydrologic and water quality responses of agricultural watersheds.;William L. Magette is assistant professor of Agricultural Engineering at The University of Maryland, College Park (Agricultural Engineering Department, 1126 Shriver lab, The University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742–5711). He received his B.S., M.E., and Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Currently, his research and extension programs address water quality impacts of agricultural best management practices.;Leslie L. Shoemaker is a former USDA National Needs Fellow in the Department of Agricultural Engineering, where she is pursuing a Ph.D. degree (Agricultural Engineering Department, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742–5711). The focus of her research program is on augmentation of the GLEAMS model to describe the hydrologic behavior of the vadose zone. She previously has been extensively involved in model applications for non-point source pollution control both in a graduate degree program at Cornell University and as an engineer with the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin. She is currently employed as a water resources engineer with Green-home and O'Mara, Greenbelt, Maryland. |
| |
| Abstract: | Non-point source pollution of ground water systems has become a national concern in recent years. Researchers and regulatory agencies are investigating the source and processes of the contamination. Agricultural best management practices (BMPs) traditionally developed to reduce non-point source pollution of surface water resources are being investigated for their impact on ground water quality. This study used the CREAMS model to simulate the long-term effects of seven different BMPs on nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) loadings to a shallow, unconfined ground water system. Two representative watersheds, 5.8 and 8.9 hectares (14.3 and 22 acres) in area, in the Coastal Plain physiographic region of Maryland were selected for study. Soils in these watersheds belong to the Matapeake silt loam series and have moderate infiltration capacity. Results from this study indicated that BMPs used in conjunction with winter cover (barley) reduced NO3-N leaching to the ground water system. It was also found that turfgrass reduced surface losses of water and nitrogen, but increased leaching losses of water and NO3-N significantly. All of the BMPs simulated in this study resulted in leachate NO3-N concentrations exceeding 10 ppm, the U.S. EPA health standard for public drinking water, indicating a need for alternate practices for reducing nitrate leaching. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
|
|
