Agricultural nonpoint source pollution of water : a literature survey from an Alberta perspective PDF
Preview Agricultural nonpoint source pollution of water : a literature survey from an Alberta perspective
c 'a AGRICULTURAL NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION OF WATER; | j A Literature Survey from an Alberta Perspective j LANM>IANA NOV 1 7 ! 993 /diberra AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT Conservation and Development I National Library Biblioth^que Rationale of Canada du Canada AGRICULTURAL NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION OF WATER: A Literature Survey from an Alberta Perspective Neil MacAlpine, P. Eng. Farm Water Management Engineer and Quang-Tuan Nguyen Conservation and Development Branch Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development August 1993 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 I https://archive.org/details/agriculturalnonpOOmaca PREFACE Surface water and groundwater can be contaminated by pollutants from nonpoint sources (i.e., broad areas such as fields or forests) and point sources (i.e., individual points such as industrial plant return flows). Over the last two decades, as control of point source pollution has improved, attention has turned to nonpoint source pollution. Agricultural nonpoint source pollutants include sediment, animal wastes, fertilizers, pesticides, nutrients and salts. Although research on agricultural nonpoint source pollution in Alberta is still in its initial stages, the province is in a good position to take advantage of the information and expertise developed elsewhere in North America. David Neilson, Head, Farm Water Management Section, Conservation and Development Branch, saw the need for this literature survey and initiated the work on it. The information on water quality and agricultural nonpoint source pollution changes almost daily. This survey focuses on articles published in North American research journals and other sources from the late 1970s to December 1992. The survey is not all-inclusive but it summarizes the understanding of the main water quality issues related to agriculture in Alberta. It is designed for Alberta regional specialists, field staff and others interested in becoming familiar with this topic. While this report provides some initial assessments on what are key water quality issues for Alberta, the rapid changes in this field limit these assessments to the period covered by the survey. Chapter 1 outlines key results from agricultural nonpoint source pollution research. Chapter 2 describes the Best Management Practices recommended for improving agriculturally affected water quality. Chapter 3 describes water quality models for surface runoff, water table management and groundwater. Chapter 4 outlines the principles involved in planning projects to control agricultural pollution of water. For those interested in an overview, reading sections 1.1 to 1 .4 of Chapter 1, the conclusions of Chapters 2 and 3 and all of Chapter 4 is recommended. Quang-Tuan Nguyen is a second year Mechanical Engineering student in the Cooperative Engineering Program at the University of Alberta. This literature survey was conducted as part of his first work term, September to December, 1992. The assistance of Robert Bateman, Head, Library Services Branch, and his staff is very much appreciated in helping Nguyen with his search for articles. Carolyn King provided significant editorial review for this report. Neil MacAlpine Farm Water Management Engineer Conservation and Development Branch Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This literature survey summarizes work on agricultural nonpoint source pollution in North America, focusing on articles published in North American research journals and other sources from the late 1970s to December 1992. The survey is not all-inclusive but it summarizes the understanding of the main water quality issues related to agriculture in Alberta. It is designed for regional specialists, field staff and others interested in becoming familiar with this topic. The survey reviews work in four areas. Chapter 1, Research and Monitoring, summarizes studies of agricultural nonpoint source pollution in prairie Canada, eastern Canada and the United States. Chapter 2, Best Management Practices, outlines production practices and control methods for reducing agricultural pollution. Chapter 3, Water Quality Models, describes recent software models used to predict levels of agricultural pollution and improvements in water quality with changes in practices. Chapter 4, Planning Principles for Nonpoint Pollution Control Projects, outlines effective planning principles based on successful pollution control projects. Each chapter includes summaries of individual articles, reports and other information sources, and ends with a summary of conclusions from the literature. The extent and severity of agricultural nonpoint source pollution of water is not yet well defined for Alberta. At present, it appears that it is neither severe nor widespread. However, recent studies have found herbicide residues in shallow water tables in irrigated areas that in rare instances exceeded drinking water guidelines. Also, nitrate concentrations above the drinking water maximum of 10 mg/L have been found in shallow water tables under fields in irrigated areas where applications of manure were at the maximum recommended rates. On a watershed basis, winter feeding areas for cattle are being investigated as a source of nutrients for algae blooms in Alberta lakes and of drinking water treatment problems in Alberta rivers. None of these studies have yet found serious health hazards to Albertans. In general, the severity of agricultural nonpoint source pollution is related directly to the intensity of agricultural production. Alberta's agriculture industry is predominately extensive, not intensive. As a result, Alberta researchers are not finding the degree and extent of water quality degradation found in some other parts of North America. Nevertheless, the potential exists for water quality degradation over the long term, particularly if agricultural operations intensify. Prevention of water pollution from agricultural sources is much more cost-effective than attempting to restore polluted waters to pristine conditions. Recent field studies in the United States have identified Best Management Practices (BMPs) for controlling sediment, pesticide, nutrient, salt and microorganism pollution of water. BMPs include water quality management practices related to management of feedlot and cow/calf operations, fertilizer and pesticide II management, irrigation water management and manure handling. BMPs must be tailored to local conditions but field evaluation of these practices can be expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, water quality models may be used as a cost-effective alternative to field evaluations, once the models are validated and verified. With climate, crop, soil and topographic information, these computer models can help assess the impact of agricultural activities, identify target areas for BMPs implementation and evaluate BMPs under various scenarios in seconds or minutes. Several water quality projects in North America have shown that water pollution from agricultural nonpoint sources can be controlled at a reasonable cost with existing technology and approaches. The principles contributing to the success of these projects provide a useful framework for planning the development, implementation and evaluation of future water quality projects. Education on effective production practices and proper handling of agricultural chemicals is the key to water quality protection. Watersheds with specific water quality problems require targeting of "hot spots" and one-on-one work with key farmers to adopt a mix of Best Management Practices that are practical and feasible for the farmer. For Alberta's agricultural sector, water quality is an important issue even though the limited available evidence suggests there is no serious agricultural pollution problem yet. While questions about agricultural pollution may be driven by findings elsewhere in North America, Alberta farmers recognize what could be at risk is the health of their families and livestock, and the public's perception that agriculture in Alberta grows food in a clean and healthy environment. Farmers want to know if there really is a water quality problem due to agricultural activities in Alberta. Ill r0^rrh :p\^ .f «r 4 '-^ ;f* •. ' (' •i'\*'>*’' V*” V'* vy^ ru^.^;;ia^pwpww/ M , . .'^'^: - .^d : • :■ <<•>%,?■/•’ ='4 A' ^' v' ;;Ss ^ ’ «i> ''' -A*' ‘ ' '’>*? t' I' -h , ' :\ t T ib ’■ ' i^ '«/ it^i. ’ 'f'' rMl 'T'fe ''• ' ,, 'ill ^y ‘ - ^ .'• v-^v^;-. ?o' £; y'f i, l(V , ^ 4 . , r ' SB-" TSfM^-Zv '-'"■v^ " - s;> %^^4fi?^a • f#n ;?.vyi,' ..' 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V-, '.-'"<^:ii : •>»(■' .'jiH'' '74*’^ i -'P0m ■'•'•' p :'.':fV,f|{,^ - ■ y V ’ . vSl " V ''Vr ' l^fe. ^rf'j,' m ',, < .J4' ' ;■■ ■ a ■ :->.':§i;'' 1'.. i . ;&-i, y- ^ „ 1 ,i‘-"' *' ft ;] ' ''>, ;/.y :.tit^ V‘i^ ' i'lti ' ;^^^lirta|jl ., '*»**>* , '■' ’ ■' ', ; ' .( ','■iV»^:: '-' ' -V '-''' F"y<P^ ' .i '' ^''i '‘•i|yAv ,t i'-'! f ‘ ’■■■ ■■/■ '.'^ Page CONTENTS PREFACE i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ii 1.0 RESEARCH AND MONITORING 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1 .2 Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Research in Alberta 1 1 .3 Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Research in Other Provinces 6 1 .4 Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Research in the United States 8 1.5 Nonpoint Source Pollution Research Literature Summary 9 1.5.1 Research in Prairie Canada 9 1.5.2 Research in Eastern Canada 19 1.5.3 Research in the United States 25 1.6 Extrapolation to Nonpoint Pollution Processes in Alberta 29 1.7 References 31 2.0 BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES 37 2.1 Introduction 37 2.2 Best Management Practices Literature Summary 37 2.2.1 Evaluation of Best Management Practices on Rural Clean Water Program Projects 37 2.2.2 Best Management Practices for Pesticides, Fertilizers and Feedlots 40 2.2.3 Other Best Management Practices 43 2.2.4 Research 47 2.3 Conclusions 57 2.4 References 58 3.0 WATER QUALITY MODELS 61 3.1 Introduction 61 3.2 Water Quality Models Literature Summary 61 3.2.1 Water Quality Model Selection Advisor 61 3.2.2 Surface Runoff Models 62 3.2.3 Water Table Management Models 70 3.2.4 Groundwater Models 74 3.3 Conclusions 80 3.4 References 80 4.0 PLANNING PRINCIPLES FOR NONPOINT POLLUTION CONTROL PROJECTS 83 4.1 Introduction 83 4.2 Planning Principles Summary 83 4.3 Conclusions 85 4.4 References 85 5.0 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SOURCES 86 6.0 GLOSSARY AND ABBREVIATIONS 89 V
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