scholarly journals An Inertia Model for the Adoption of New Farming Practices

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Simon Seraphim Anastasiadis
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Resistance To Change ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Nutrient Trading ◽  
Nutrient Emissions ◽  
Poor Water Quality ◽  
Inertia Model

<p>Nutrient emissions from agricultural land are now widely recognized as one of the key contributors to poor water quality in local lakes, rivers and streams. Nutrient trading for non-point sources, including farm land, has been suggested as a regulatory tool to improve and protect water quality. However, farmers’ attitudes suggest that they are resistant to making the changes required under such a scheme where this requires them to adopt unfamiliar technologies and farm management practices. This study develops a model of farmers’ resistance to change and how this affects their adoption of new mitigation technologies under nutrient trading regulation. We specify resistance as a bound on the adoption of new technologies and allow this bound to relax as farmers’ resistance to change weakens.</p>

scholarly journals An Inertia Model for the Adoption of New Farming Practices

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Simon Seraphim Anastasiadis
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Resistance To Change ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Nutrient Trading ◽  
Nutrient Emissions ◽  
Poor Water Quality ◽  
Inertia Model

<p>Nutrient emissions from agricultural land are now widely recognized as one of the key contributors to poor water quality in local lakes, rivers and streams. Nutrient trading for non-point sources, including farm land, has been suggested as a regulatory tool to improve and protect water quality. However, farmers’ attitudes suggest that they are resistant to making the changes required under such a scheme where this requires them to adopt unfamiliar technologies and farm management practices. This study develops a model of farmers’ resistance to change and how this affects their adoption of new mitigation technologies under nutrient trading regulation. We specify resistance as a bound on the adoption of new technologies and allow this bound to relax as farmers’ resistance to change weakens.</p>

Reducing Nutrient Loads in Northern Irish Catchments: A Modelling Approach Based on Load Apportionment and Flow Pathway Identification

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell Adams ◽  
Donnacha Doody
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Load Reduction ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
Flow Pathways ◽  
Flow Pathway

&lt;p&gt;Northern Ireland has been somewhat overlooked in terms of water quality modelling in the past. Many of its catchments have consistently failed to meet Water Framework Directive targets especially due to high levels of dissolved nutrients and poor ecological status. A catchment based modelling study to address this issue has not been undertaken here previously and the approach described here uses two water quality models to achieve this aim. The objectives of the modelling were firstly to identify the total load reductions (in terms of Phosphorus (P)) required to reduce in-stream loadings sufficiently for concentrations of soluble reactive P (SRP) to be reduced to achieve the WFD &amp;#8220;Good&amp;#8221; status levels, and secondly to split these loadings into diffuse and point components. The third objective was to identify the most likely flow pathways for the transport of the diffuse component of P to the watercourses particularly for the agricultural (mostly intensive grassland farming) land use which dominates in almost all NI catchments.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The first model applied is the Source Load Apportionment Model (SLAM) developed by the Irish EPA. This model provides a large-scale assessment of the point and diffuse load components across catchments where multiple pressures are occurring. The second model us the Catchment Runoff Flux Assessment Tool (CRAFT) which is able to back-calculate nutrient loads associated with three major flow pathways. SLAM is a static model which uses averaged loadings from diffuse agriculture and non-agricultural land uses, and point sources (where information can be obtained from various sources) to calculate N and P exports. For P, the agricultural diffuse load component uses an enhanced version of the export coefficient approach based on combining the sources of P from applied nutrients (slurry and fertiliser) and soil P. A modelling tool allows the user to evaluate load reduction scenarios where one or several components of P (both point and diffuse) are adjusted downwards to achieve the catchment&amp;#8217;s required load reduction. The CRAFT model works on a dynamic (daily) modelling scale and has simulated sub-catchments where the SLAM model has identified the need for significant load reductions. It identifies the different reductions (P export) that are required for each flow pathway, which will then inform on the type of additional measures (e.g. sediment traps, riparian buffer strips and wetlands) that may also be required.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The initial aim of this study is to complete a pilot application to the trans-border (UK and ROI) Blackwater catchment (1360 km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;). Through a review of alternative modelling options for the whole area of NI, an assessment of whether this approach is suitable for application to the entire territory can be made.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Sediment transport and water quality in Máchovo Lake (Czech Republic)

2010 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-148
Author(s):  
Tomas Dostal ◽  
Josef Krasa ◽  
Karel Vrana ◽  
Martin Dockal ◽  
Petr Koudelka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Czech Republic ◽  
Sediment Transport ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Waste Water Treatment ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Nature Protection ◽  
Protection Measures ◽  
Sediment Loads ◽  
Set Up

Sediment transport and water quality in Máchovo Lake (Czech Republic) Máchovo Lake is a historical reservoir founded by Czech King Charles IV. in 14th century. Located in northern part of central Bohemia it has been widely used for recreation purposes for many decades (or even centuries). Its catchments (ca 100 sq km) consist of intensively used agricultural land (ca 25% of area) and of large forested area under nature protection. Several other lakes (ponds) are chained on the two reservoir's inlets. Irrespective of its great recreation potential Máchovo Lake is one of the Bohemian lakes known for its problems with eutrophication and water quality. The project was set up to point out sources of nutrients and to search for proper solutions. Sediment loads in every lake within the catchments were measured and sampled in order to quantify the nutrients and other pollution. Point and non point sources of phosphorus and other nutrients were searched. Sediment transport within catchments was modelled using WaTEM/SEDEM model. Interestingly, the water quality in the particular ponds varies significantly even though each one of several hundred years old ponds is heavily silted. Soil erosion protection measures within catchments were proposed altogether with flood protection measures in the stream valleys and waste water treatment facilities in surrounding villages. Setting up water quality sampling devices in selected stream profiles was tested and designed. The continual proper management should lead to water quality improvement.

Agricultural land use and N losses to water: the case study of a fluvial park in Northern Italy

2003 ◽  
Vol 47 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 275-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Morari ◽  
E. Lugato ◽  
M. Borin
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Water Resource Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Subsurface Water ◽  
Agricultural Systems ◽  
N Losses ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Impact

An integrated water resource management programme has been under way since 1999 to reduce agricultural water pollution in the River Mincio fluvial park. The experimental part of the programme consisted of: a) a monitoring phase to evaluate the impact of conventional and environmentally sound techniques (Best Management Practices, BMPs) on water quality; this was done on four representative landscape units, where twelve fields were instrumented to monitor the soil, surface and subsurface water quality; b) a modelling phase to extend the results obtained at field scale to the whole territory of the Mincio watershed. For this purpose a GIS developed in the Arc/Info environment was integrated into the CropSyst model. The model had previously been calibrated to test its ability to describe the complexity of the agricultural systems. The first results showed a variable efficiency of the BMPs depending on the interaction between management and pedo-climatic conditions. In general though, the BMPs had positive effects in improving the surface and subsurface water quality. The CropSyst model was able to describe the agricultural systems monitored and its linking with the GIS represented a valuable tool for identifying the vulnerable areas within the watershed.

Iowa Statewide Stream Nitrate Loading: 2017-2018 Update

2019 ◽  
Vol 126 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 6-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher S. Jones ◽  
Keith E. Schilling
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Mississippi River ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Nitrate Nitrogen ◽  
Nitrogen Loading ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Nutrient Reduction ◽  
Stream Network ◽  
Discharge Data

In response to ongoing hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico, several states in the Mississippi River basin have adopted nutrient reduction plans in recent years designed to arrest the flow of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from both point and non-point sources to the stream network. Iowa's Nutrient Reduction Strategy, implemented in 2012, aims to reduce stream loading of these nutrients by 45% within a yet-to-be-defined time frame. Because the state has chosen to integrate accountability into the strategy through the numerical objective, ongoing water monitoring is necessary to credibly measure progress. The primary objective of this research was to use water quality monitoring and discharge data to update statewide nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) loading using the combined data sets generated by in situ water quality sensors and traditional grab sample monitoring conducted by state government. Our research shows that the 5-year running annual average of nitrate-nitrogen loading continues to increase, and after the 2018 water year is 73% higher than that calculated in 2003. Loads from Iowa areas draining to the Missouri River are increasing more rapidly than loads from areas draining to the upper Mississippi River: 132% versus 55% since 2003. This shows that best management practices designed to stem the loss of nutrients from the corn-soybean system must be widely adopted and robustly designed for extreme environmental conditions if Iowa is to meet its water quality objectives.

Influence of climate,geology and humans on spatial and temporal nutrient geochemistry in the subtropical Richmond River catchment, Australia

2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lester J. McKee ◽  
Bradley D. Eyre ◽  
Shahadat Hossain ◽  
Peter R. Pepperell
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Inorganic Nitrogen ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
River Catchment

Water quality was monitored on a spatial and temporal basis in the subtropical Richmond River catchment over two years. Nutrient concentrations varied seasonally in a complex manner with highest concentrations (maximum =3110 µg N L – 1 and 572 µg P L –1 ) associated with floods. However, median (444 µg N L – 1 and 55 µg P L – 1 ) concentrations were relatively low compared with other parts of the world. The forms of nitrogen and phosphorus in streams varied seasonally, with greater proportions of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus during the wet season. Minimum nutrient concentrations were found 2—3 months after flood discharge. With the onset of the dry season, concentration increases were attributed to point sources and low river discharge. There were statistically significant relationships between geology and water quality and nutrient concentrations increased downstream and were significantly related to population density and dairy farming. In spite of varying geology and naturally higher phosphorus in soils and rocks in parts of the catchment, anthropogenic impacts had the greatest effects on water quality in the Richmond River catchment. Rainfall quality also appeared to be related both spatially and seasonally to human activity. Although the responses of the subtropical Richmond River catchment to changes in land use are similar to those of temperate systems of North America and Europe, the seasonal patterns appear to be more complex and perhaps typical of subtropical catchments dominated by agricultural land use.

scholarly journals Assessment of runoff nitrogen load reduction measures for agricultural catchments

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 403-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Martínková ◽  
Tomáš Hejduk ◽  
Petr Fučík ◽  
Jan Vymazal ◽  
Martin Hanel
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Nitrate Nitrogen ◽  
Nitrogen Sources ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Pollution Sources ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Physical Factors

AbstractWater quality in rural catchments is influenced by many societal and bio-physical factors (e.g. different pollution sources, land use and land cover changes). Good ecological status and surface water quality are currently challenged mainly due to different poorly identified pollution sources. The main objective of this study is to estimate the potential of different measures (land use changes and/or reduction in point sources) and their combinations in decreasing the nitrate-nitrogen load from Jankovský stream catchment. The eco-hydrological model SWIM, which simulates dynamics of nutrients in a catchment was used in the study. The simulations for scenario measures showed that nitrate-nitrogen loads at the outlet can be decreased more by reduction of municipal nitrate-nitrogen sources rather than by agricultural land-use change. Overall, the modeling results demonstrated that the most effective scenario was the combination of total reduction of municipal nitrate-nitrogen sources and agricultural land-use change.

Agricultural chemicals in ground water: Extent and implications

1987 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
George R. Hallberg
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Ground Water ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Surface Water Quality ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
Land Application ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Nitrogen Fertilizers ◽  
Agricultural Chemicals

AbstractThe accelerated use of agricultural chemicals over the past 20–30 years has increased production and generally has been profitable, but it has also had an adverse impact on ground water quality in many major agricultural areas. The contamination of ground water, related to nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides, from widespread, routine land application, as well as from point sources has become a serious concern. Ground water contamination also impairs surface water quality. Research, world-wide, has shown increases in NO3-N in ground water concurrent with major increases in N-fertilization. Many shallow ground water supplies now exceed recommended NO3-N drinking water standards. While many sources contribute N into the environment, synthetic fertilizers have become the major component. There are clear economic incentives to improve management; harvested crops often account for less than 50 percent of the purchased fertilizer inputs. Pesticides are appearing in ground water with unanticipated frequency, and while their concentrations are generally below acute toxic levels, many are of concern for possible chronic effects. Such widespread contamination is of real concern because of the potential for long-term and widespread exposure of the public through drinking water. Surveys of farmers indicate a desire to improve management practices and reduce chemical inputs. Promoting the principles of alternative, sustainable agriculture is a necessary element in the resolution of these problems.

Climate co-benefits of water quality trading in the Chesapeake Bay watershed

Water Policy ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 758-765 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca R. Gasper ◽  
Mindy Selman ◽  
Matthias Ruth
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Chesapeake Bay ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
The United States ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Water Quality Trading ◽  
Chesapeake Bay Watershed ◽  
Multiple Markets ◽  
Water Quality Markets

Water quality markets are gaining worldwide popularity as strategies to provide flexibility and cost savings to sources managing pollution. One prominent example is the establishment of water quality trading programs in the Chesapeake Bay watershed in the United States to manage nonpoint and point source pollution. Some of the agricultural land use practices that can be used to generate offsets in water quality markets in this region have other environmental benefits including greenhouse gas (GHG) sequestration. This study describes the structure of Maryland's water quality trading program, its climate co-benefits and its potential link with GHG markets. Results reveal that Maryland's agricultural sector could offset half of its GHG emissions by 2020 through projects primarily designed to improve water quality. The potential opportunity for agricultural sources to participate in multiple markets could provide incentives for the adoption of management practices that have climate co-benefits. The results of this study could guide the continued development of multiple markets in the Bay watershed and other regions of the world where ecosystem markets play a role in pollution management.

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