Surface Water Quality in Relation to Land Cover in Agricultural Catchments (Liswarta River Basin Case Study)

Abstract

Agricultural activity results in ground and surface water pollution from nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, which results from the excessive use of fertilizers containing these ingredients [1,2]. High concentrations of nitrogen compounds pose a threat to animal and human health and, in the case of surface waters (lakes, seas, and rivers), these pollutants can lead to eutrophication, which disturbs the ecological balance of the aquatic environment [3][4][5][6].Clean water is vital to human life and the proper functioning of natural ecosystems; as a result, the protection of water quality is one of the priorities identified by the European strategy for environmental protection. To protect water from nitrogen pollution, the EU member states are obliged to comply with the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC).Pol. J. Environ. Stud. Vol. 24, No. 1 (2015), [175][176][177][178][179][180][181][182][183][184] AbstractAgricultural activity results in water pollution from nitrogen and phosphorus compounds. Increased concentrations of nitrogen compounds pose a threat to animal and human health.The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of agriculture in a catchment basin on the level of surface water pollution from biogenic compounds.Spatial analysis of the land cover was conducted using GIS and was based on data from the Corine Land Cover databases.The study results indicated that high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds existed in the surface waters. In the surface water, high concentrations of biogenic compounds occurred in both primarily agricultural catchments and in urbanized drainage areas. Water may be regarded as eutrophicated or at high risk of eutrophication because the majority of the nitrate concentrations at the monitoring sites exceeded a limit of 10 mg·dm -3 NO 3 2-. Inadequate farming practices and poor sanitary conditions on farmsteads result in the leaching of biogenic substances into the water. To protect water from biogenic pollutants, it is necessary to adopt a new approach to fertilizer use and to improve the sanitary conditions of agricultural properties, which can be achieved by, among other things, the installation of drainage systems in rural areas. Our recommendations include the protection of river valleys as follows: by stopping deforestation, by preserving natural riparian vegetation, and by reducing the volume of intensified agricultural activity or introducing so-called "precision farming. "

Transport of Nitrogen Compounds through Subsoils in Agricultural Areas: Column Tests

“…After the pre-incubation period, an ammonium nitrate solution (with the same concentration as used in the batch tests) was added to each bottle at a rate of 1:5 (soil-to-solution) and stored in the dark under the same conditions as those used in the pre-incubation process. At each desired incubation time (1,4,7,10,15,20, and 30 days) the treatment solutions were removed from the bottles for laboratory testing to track temporal changes and variations in the selected parameters.…”

“…According to Camargo and Alonso [5], Moradzadeh et al [6], and Matysik et al [7], the concentrations of these ions in surface and groundwater increase worldwide, affecting aquatic organisms and ecosystem quality. Therefore, following the ratification of the Nitrates Directive [8], the EU member states have committed themselves to regularly assessing groundwater and surface water pollution by nitrogen compounds from agricultural sources.…”

Long-Term Changes in Water Quality and Eutrophication of China’s Liujiang River

“…Many studies have indicated that human activities have the potential to change water environments [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. Eutrophication is the most obvious environmental water problem in recent years worldwide [9][10][11][12].…”

Reduction of Nitrates in Waste Water through the Valorization of Rice Straw: LIFE LIBERNITRATE Project

“…Among them, agricultural activities are a source of elevated concentration of contaminants [6][7][8][9]. The use of chemical fertilizers has increased from 14 million tons in 1954 to a predicted 200 million tons in 2018 [10].…”