TY - JOUR
T1 - Modeling and prioritizing interventions using pollution hotspots for reducing nutrients, atrazine and e. Coli concentrations in a watershed
AU - Abimbola, Olufemi
AU - Mittelstet, Aaron
AU - Messer, Tiffany
AU - Berry, Elaine
AU - van Griensven, Ann
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture—National Institute of Food and Agriculture (Hatch project NEB-21-177). The authors also thank the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) for the support. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Funding Information:
Funding: This research was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture—National Institute of Food and Agriculture (Hatch project NEB-21-177). The authors also thank the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) for the support. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 by the authors. Li-censee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2021/1/1
Y1 - 2021/1/1
N2 - Excess nutrients and herbicides remain two major causes of waterbody impairment globally. In an attempt to better understand pollutant sources in the Big Sandy Creek Watershed (BSCW) and the prospects for successful remediation, a program was initiated to assist agricultural producers with the implementation of best management practices (BMPs). The objectives were to (1) simulate BMPs within hotspots to determine reductions in pollutant loads and (2) to determine if water-quality standards are met at the watershed outlet. Regression-based load estimator (LOADEST) was used for determining sediment, nutrient and atrazine loads, while artificial neural networks (ANN) were used for determining E. coli concentrations. With respect to reducing sediment, total nitrogen and total phosphorus loads at hotspots with individual BMPs, implementing grassed waterways resulted in average reductions of 97%, 53% and 65% respectively if implemented all over the hotspots. Although reducing atrazine application rate by 50% in all hotspots was the most effective BMP for reducing atrazine concentrations (21%) at the gauging station 06883940, this reduction was still six times higher than the target concentration. Similarly, with grassed waterways established in all hotspots, the 64% reduction in E. coli concentration was not enough to meet the target at the gauging station. With scaled-down acreage based on the proposed implementation plan, filter strip led to more pollutant reductions at the targeted hotspots. Overall, a combination of filter strip, grassed waterway and atrazine rate reduction will most likely yield measureable improvement both in the hotspots (>20% reduction in sediment, total nitrogen and total phosphorus pollution) and at the gauging station. Despite the model’s uncertainties, the results showed a possibility of using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to assess the effectiveness of various BMPs in agricultural watersheds.
AB - Excess nutrients and herbicides remain two major causes of waterbody impairment globally. In an attempt to better understand pollutant sources in the Big Sandy Creek Watershed (BSCW) and the prospects for successful remediation, a program was initiated to assist agricultural producers with the implementation of best management practices (BMPs). The objectives were to (1) simulate BMPs within hotspots to determine reductions in pollutant loads and (2) to determine if water-quality standards are met at the watershed outlet. Regression-based load estimator (LOADEST) was used for determining sediment, nutrient and atrazine loads, while artificial neural networks (ANN) were used for determining E. coli concentrations. With respect to reducing sediment, total nitrogen and total phosphorus loads at hotspots with individual BMPs, implementing grassed waterways resulted in average reductions of 97%, 53% and 65% respectively if implemented all over the hotspots. Although reducing atrazine application rate by 50% in all hotspots was the most effective BMP for reducing atrazine concentrations (21%) at the gauging station 06883940, this reduction was still six times higher than the target concentration. Similarly, with grassed waterways established in all hotspots, the 64% reduction in E. coli concentration was not enough to meet the target at the gauging station. With scaled-down acreage based on the proposed implementation plan, filter strip led to more pollutant reductions at the targeted hotspots. Overall, a combination of filter strip, grassed waterway and atrazine rate reduction will most likely yield measureable improvement both in the hotspots (>20% reduction in sediment, total nitrogen and total phosphorus pollution) and at the gauging station. Despite the model’s uncertainties, the results showed a possibility of using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to assess the effectiveness of various BMPs in agricultural watersheds.
KW - Atrazine
KW - Best management practices
KW - Big Sandy Creek Watershed (BSCW)
KW - E. coli
KW - Nutrients
KW - Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT)
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85098788240&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85098788240&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/su13010103
DO - 10.3390/su13010103
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85098788240
SN - 2071-1050
VL - 13
SP - 1
EP - 22
JO - Sustainability
JF - Sustainability
IS - 1
M1 - 103
ER -