The effects of flooding and drought on water quantity and quality in agricultural drainage systems and streams in Latvia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ainis Lagzdins ◽  
Linda Grinberga ◽  
Arturs Veinbergs ◽  
Ritvars Sudars ◽  
Kaspars Abramenko
Keyword(s):  
Nitrate Nitrogen ◽  
Subsurface Drainage ◽  
Water Quantity ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Nutrient Losses ◽  
Open Drainage ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Drainage Systems ◽  
Agricultural Catchments

<p>This study was conducted based on systematic and regular water quality and quantity monitoring activities carried out as a part of the Agricultural Runoff monitoring programme in Latvia. This programme was initiated in 1995 and since then aims to document and evaluate the current status and long-term trends in nutrient concentrations and losses at different spatial and temporal scales as affected by meteorological, hydrological, and farming conditions.</p><p>Water sampling and flow measurements were carried out at several spatial scales where subsurface and open drainage systems have been installed including 16 experimental plots, 3 subsurface drainage fields, 3 small agricultural catchments, 24 small and medium size rivers. In addition, 21 groundwater monitoring well was established at 6 locations to investigate the effects of agricultural activities on groundwater quality. Water samples were collected on a monthly basis and analyzed for nitrate-nitrogen, ammonium-nitrogen, total nitrogen, orthophosphate-phosphorus, total phosphorus. Continuous flow measurements were made at experimental plots, subsurface drainage fields and small agricultural catchments using hydraulic measurement structures, pressure sensors and data loggers.</p><p>The long-term monitoring data (1995 – 2019) showed that water quantity and quality in subsurface and open drainage systems were strongly affect by meteorological conditions at the research site mainly in terms of annual and seasonal patterns of precipitation. Moreover, the flooding conditions in 2017 and drought conditions in 2018 and 2019 indicated that the agronomic activities at the research sites such as crops, tillage operations, types and application rates of fertilizers have a minor role on water quality leaving the agricultural fields. Intensive precipitation outside the growing season in 2017 resulted in the highest nutrient losses, while drought conditions in 2018 resulted in the lowest nutrient losses since this monitoring programme was established. One year of flooding and two consecutive years of drought have emphasized that more specific water and nutrient retention measures are needed in agricultural areas to secure timely removal of excess water from fields and water storage for later use. The analysis of nitrate-nitrogen concentrations obtained at different scales of measurements showed that nutrient concentrations, especially nitrate-nitrogen, decrease if the scale of measurements increases with the highest concentrations at the experimental plot scale followed by subsurface drainage fields, small catchments, and rivers.</p>

Long-term monitoring of nutrient losses from agricultural catchments in the Nordic–Baltic region – A discussion of methods, uncertainties and future needs

2014 ◽  
Vol 198 ◽  
pp. 4-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarina Kyllmar ◽  
Marianne Bechmann ◽  
Johannes Deelstra ◽  
Arvo Iital ◽  
Gitte Blicher-Mathiesen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Losses ◽  
Baltic Region ◽  
Agricultural Catchments ◽  
Future Needs ◽  
Long Term Monitoring ◽  
Term Monitoring

Seasonal Characterisation and Trends Study of Nutrient Concentrations in Surface Water from Catchments with Intensive Livestock Farming

2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (-1) ◽  
pp. 8-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laima Berzina ◽  
Ritvars Sudars
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Water Protection ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Protection Measures ◽  
Agricultural Catchments ◽  
Phosphorus Losses

Seasonal Characterisation and Trends Study of Nutrient Concentrations in Surface Water from Catchments with Intensive Livestock Farming Temporal changes in observed nitrogen and phosphorus losses to surface water were studied in 3 agricultural catchments in order to evaluate the achievement of water protection targets in Latvia. The aim of this study is to investigate the water quality measures in high density livestock farming catchments. Long-term monitoring data (years 1996-2008) of water quality used in the analysis show a high annual and monthly variability of nutrients. The results demonstrate little or no reduction of nutrient concentrations in surface water. The results suggest that water protection measures for agricultural production need to be further intensified.

Using constructed wetlands to treat subsurface drainage from intensively grazed dairy pastures in New Zealand

2003 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 207-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.C. Tanner ◽  
M. Long Nguyen ◽  
J.P.S. Sukias
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Constructed Wetlands ◽  
Subsurface Drainage ◽  
Organic N ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Catchment Areas ◽  
Long Term Performance ◽  
Term Performance

Performance data, during the start-up period, are presented for constructed wetlands treating subsurface drainage from dairy pastures in Waikato (rain-fed) and Northland (irrigated), North Island, New Zealand. The wetlands comprised an estimated 1 and 2% of the drained catchment areas, respectively. Nitrate concentrations were high in the drainage inflows at both sites (medians 10 g m-3 at Waikato and 6.5 g m-3 at Northland), but organic N was also an important form of N at Waikato (37% of TN). Comparison of wetland inflow and outflow nutrient concentrations showed overall nutrient reductions during passage through the wetlands for NO3-N (34 and 94% for medians, respectively), TN (56 and 33%, respectively), and DRP (80%, Northland only). Median NH4-N (both sites) and DRP (Waikato) concentrations showed apparent increases between the wetland inlets and outlets. However, a mass balance calculated for the 3 month preliminary monitoring periods showed substantial mass removal of DRP (80%) and all measured forms of N (NO3-N 78%, NH4-N 41%, Org-N 99.8% and TN 96%) in the Waikato wetland. Monitoring of these systems needs to be continued through a range of seasons and years to fully assess their long-term performance.

Trends in diffuse nutrient concentrations and loading in Denmark: statistical trend analysis of stream monitoring data

1999 ◽  
Vol 39 (12) ◽  
pp. 197-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. E. Larsen ◽  
B. Kronvang ◽  
J. Windolf ◽  
L. M. Svendsen
Keyword(s):  
Trend Analysis ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Nutrient Input ◽  
Agricultural Catchments ◽  
Stream Monitoring ◽  
P Concentration ◽  
Significant Downward Trend ◽  
Recent Trends ◽  
Slope Estimator

The Danish Monitoring Programme reveals that diffuse sources are currently the major source of nutrient input to the aquatic environment. Nutrient concentration and loading data for about 50 small agricultural catchments and seven undisturbed catchments reveal that agriculture is the major diffuse source, average annual nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentration and loading being respectively, 5.1- and 6.8-fold, and 2.7- and 3.9-fold greater in streams draining agricultural catchments than in streams draining undisturbed catchments during the period 1989–96. A statistical trend analysis (discharge adjusted Mann-Kendall seasonal test) applied to long-term time series (1967–96) in three streams revealed an upward trend in nitrate concentration in Skjern Å (p<0.1%), Odense Å (p=5.7%) and GudenÅ (p=11%) during the 15-year period 1967-81, whereas there was no significant trend during the following 15-year period (1982-96). There was a significant downward trend in P concentration in all three streams over the 30-year period. Statistical analysis of recent trends (1989-96) in 77 (N) and 40 (P) streams draining small agricultural catchments revealed a median annual decrease of 0.073 mg N 1−1 and 0.0034 mg P 1−1 (Sen's slope estimator). The observed trend was only significant in 6 of the streams tested at the 5% level and 27 at the 10% level, however. The median annual decrease in N and P concentrations was higher in streams draining loamy catchments (0.092 mg N 1−1 and 0.0035 mg P 1−1) than in streams draining sandy catchments (0.040 mg N 1−1 and 0.0005 mg P 1−1).

scholarly journals Effects of Subsurface Drainage Systems on Water and Nitrogen Footprints Simulated with RZWQM2

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 245-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina J. Craft ◽  
Matthew J. Helmers ◽  
Robert W. Malone ◽  
Carl H. Pederson ◽  
Linda R. Schott
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Field Data ◽  
Subsurface Drainage ◽  
Drainage Water ◽  
N Loss ◽  
Drainage Systems ◽  
Northern Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Drainage Water Management ◽  
N Loading

Abstract. Developing drainage water management (DWM) systems in the Midwest to reduce nitrogen (N) transport to the northern Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone requires understanding of the long-term performance of these systems. Few studies have evaluated long-term impacts of DWM, and the simulation of controlled drainage (CD) with the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) is limited, while shallow drainage (SD) has not been examined. We tested RZWQM using nine years (2007-2015) of field data from southeast Iowa for CD, SD, conventional drainage (DD), and undrained (ND) systems and simulated the long-term (1971-2015) impacts. RZWQM accurately simulated N loss in subsurface drainage, and the simulations agreed with field data that CD and SD substantially reduced N loss to drainage. As indicated by the field data, the SD N concentration was predicted to be greater than DD and CD, likely due to reduced time of travel to shallower drains. The long-term simulations show that CD and SD reduced annual N lost via tile drainage by 26% and 40%, respectively. Annual reductions in N lost via tile drainage ranged from 28% in the driest years to 22% in the wettest years for CD and from 56% in the driest years to 35% in the wettest years for SD. Considering spring N loading for the purpose of addressing hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico, CD was found to be less effective than SD, and in many years CD exported more N in the spring than DD. Spring N loading (April through June) was indicated by the EPA Science Advisory Board to have the greatest impact on hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Therefore, improvement of CD systems within the months of April through June to reduce N loss via drainage across the upper Midwest landscape may be required. Limited research in the upper Midwest has addressed spring N loading under controlled drainage systems (CD). This research will help model developers, model users, and agricultural scientists more clearly understand N transport under different systems, including CD, SD, and ND, which will aid in developing the design and management of drainage systems to reduce N transport from tile-drained agriculture to surface waters. Keywords: Agricultural simulation model, Drainage water management, Nonpoint-source pollution, Northern Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone, Nutrient reduction, Subsurface drainage.

Nutrient losses from subsurface drainage systems in Latvia

2015 ◽  
Vol 65 (sup1) ◽  
pp. 66-79
Author(s):  
Ainis Lagzdiņš ◽  
Viesturs Jansons ◽  
Ritvars Sudars ◽  
Linda Grinberga ◽  
Arturs Veinbergs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Subsurface Drainage ◽  
Nutrient Losses ◽  
Drainage Systems

Evaluation of Simulated Strategies for Reducing Nitrate-Nitrogen Losses through Subsurface Drainage Systems

2012 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 217-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Srinivasulu Ale ◽  
Laura C. Bowling ◽  
Mohamed A. Youssef ◽  
Sylvie M. Brouder
Keyword(s):  
Nitrate Nitrogen ◽  
Subsurface Drainage ◽  
Nitrogen Losses ◽  
Drainage Systems
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