Best management practices to reduce nitrate pollution in a rural watershed in Germany

Abstract

Water pollution by nitrogen originates at diffuse and point sources. In surface aquatic systems, nitrate is one of the most problematic forms of nitrogen, causing phytoplankton and macrophyte growth and consequently water eutrophication. This study evaluated whether the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model can simulate nitrate load in a rural watershed in daily and monthly time increments. The study investigated 462 km² of the upper part of the Stör catchment, a typical rural lowland catchment located in Northern Germany. The results showed that simulations of nitrate load at monthly increments are better predictors of observed data than daily simulations. The most effective practices to minimize the NO3-N load were the reduction of nitrogen fertilizer application and the increasing of conservation areas, such as field filter strips.Keywords: land use, nitrogen pollution, non-point pollution, SWAT model. Melhores práticas de manejo para reduzir a poluição por nitrato em uma bacia hidrográfica rural na Alemanha RESUMOA poluição da água causada por nitrogênio é originada por fontes difusas e pontuais. Em sistemas aquáticos superficiais, o nitrato é uma das formas mais problemáticas de nitrogênio, causando crescimento de fitoplâncton e de macrófitas e consequentemente a eutrofização da água. Este estudo teve o objetivo de avaliar se o modelo Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) pode simular a carga de nitrato em uma bacia hidrográfica rural em séries diárias e mensais. Foram investigados 462 km² da parte superior da bacia hidrográfica do rio Stör, uma bacia de planície tipicamente rural localizada no norte da Alemanha. Os resultados mostraram que as simulações de carga de nitratos em incrementos mensais são melhores preditores de dados observados do que simulações diárias. As práticas mais efetivas para minimizar as cargas de NO3-N foram a redução da aplicação de fertilizante nitrogenado e o incremento de áreas de conservação, tal como as faixas filtro.Palavras-chave: nitrogênio, polluição difusa, modelo SWAT, uso da terra. 889Best management practices to reduce nitrate pollution ...Rev. Ambient. Água vol. 12 n. 6 Taubaté -Nov. / Dec. 2017

Biological denitrification in an anoxic sequencing batch biofilm reactor: Performance evaluation, nitrous oxide emission and microbial community

“…Moreover, discharge of industrial wastewater and excessive N fertilizer application might be expected to lead to nitrate pollution of groundwater (Li et al, 2016). In most wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), the lack of sufficient carbon source in wastewater treatment can also lead to accumulation of nitrate and nitrite in the effluent (Pott and Fohrer, 2017).…”

Incentive Measures for Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Control of Farmers Based on Choice Modelling: A Case Study on the Water Source Region of Xin’an River Reservoir

“…e pollution sources from planting industry have direct and indirect impacts on drinking water, and the hazard is on the rise. e most concerned pollutants include fertilizer and pesticide [7]. e effects of fertilizer on the water body are mainly reflected in the water quality problems caused by nitrogen and phosphorus entering the water system [8].…”

Influences of land use changes on the dynamics of water quantity and quality in the German lowland catchment of the Stör

“…in the northeast and 85 m in the western part towards 20 m in the center and to 120 5-10 m in the southern part. Sandy soil (Cambisol, Gley-Podsol, Podsol) dominates the catchment, particularly in the central lowland part, while some Gley soils are mainly distributed in the east and peat soils can be found in proximity to streams and near two major wetlands (Pott and Fohrer, 2017a). The catchment is dominated by rural land use composed of arable land (36.1%) and pasture (31.3%), followed by forest (18.7%), urban areas (12.8%), and a minor fraction of water and wetland as indicated by a land use map for 2019 (Lei et al, 2021).…”