Agricultural nonpoint source pollution : watershed management and hydrology

331 Pages·2001·9.762 MB·English

by  William F Ritter, Adel Shirmohammadi

AGRICULTURAL
NONPOINT
SOURCE
POLLUTION
Watershed Management
and Hydrology
Edited by
William F. Ritter
Adel Shirmohammadi
LEWIS PUBLISHERS
Boca Raton London New York Washington, D.C.
© 2001 by CRC Press LLC
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Agricultural nonpoint source pollution : watershed management and hydrology / edited
by William F. Ritter, Adel Shirmohammadi
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 1-56670-222-4 (alk. paper)
1. Agricultural pollution--Environmental aspects--United States. 2. Nonpoint source
pollution--United States. 3.Watershed management--United States. 4. Water quality
management--United States. I. Ritter, William F. II. Shirmohammadi, Adel, 1952-
TD428.A37 A362 2000
628.1′.684—dc21 00-046349
CIP
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© 2001 by CRC Press LLC
Preface
Despite the tremendous progress that has been achieved in water pollution, almost
40% of the U.S. waters that have been assessed by states do not meet water quality
goals. About 20,000 water bodies are impacted by siltation, nutrients, bacteria, oxy-
gen depletion substances, metals, habitat alterations, pesticides, and toxic organic
chemicals. With pollution from point sources being dramatically reduced, nonpoint
source pollution is the major cause of most water that does not meet water quality
goals. About 50 to 70% of the assessed surface waters are adversely affected by agri-
cultural nonpoint source pollution caused by soil erosion from cropland and over-
grazing and from pesticide and fertilizer applications. States have identified almost
500,000 kilometers of rivers and streams and more than two million hectares of lakes
that do not meet state water quality goals. In 1998, about one-third of the 1062
beaches reporting to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had at least one
health advisory or closing. More than 2500 fish consumption advisories or bans were
issued by states in areas where fish were too contaminated to eat.
Clean water is important for the nation’s economy. A third of Americans visit
coastal areas each year, generating new jobs and billions of dollars. Closed beaches
and fish advisories result in lost revenue. Water used for irrigating crops and raising
livestock helps American farmers produce and sell $197 billion worth of food and
fiber each year. Manufacturers use thirty-five trillion liters of fresh water annually.
This book is intended to give a comprehensive overview of agricultural nonpoint
source pollution and its management on a watershed scale. The first chapter provides
background information on watershed hydrology, with a discussion on each phase of
the hydrologic cycle. The second chapter is on soil erosion and sedimentation. The
basic processes of soil erosion as it occurs in upland areas are discussed, most of it
focused on rill and interrill erosion. Process-based soil erosion models and cropping
and management effects on erosion are treated and contrasted in some detail.
Chapters 3, 4, and 5 take up the nonpoint source pollutants nitrogen, phospho-
rus, and pesticides in detail. Both surface and subsurface processes are discussed in
each chapter. Chapters 3 and 4 begin with nitrogen and phosphorus cycles, respec-
tively. Management practices to control nonpoint source pollution from nitrogen,
phosphorus, and pesticides are discussed.
Chapter 6 discusses nonpoint source pollution from the livestock industry.
Surface water and groundwater quality effects from feedlots, manure storage and
treatment systems, and land application of manures are presented, along with non-
point source pollution control practices for each of these sources.
Chapter 7 addresses the impact of irrigated agriculture on water quality.
The nonpoint source pollutants nitrates, pesticides, salts, trace elements, and sus-
pended sediments are discussed, along with management practices for reducing non-
point source pollution from irrigation. Chapter 8 is focused on the impact of
iii
© 2001 by CRC Press LLC
agricultural drainage on water quality. Both conventional drainage and water-table
management are discussed.
Chapter 9 provides an overview of water quality models. Different types of water
quality models are discussed along with model development, sensitivity analysis,
model validation and verification, and the role of geographic information systems in
water quality modeling. Chapter 10 provides a treatment of best management prac-
tices (BMPs) to control nonpoint source pollution and the framework for the design
of a monitoring system for BMP impact assessment. Fourteen BMPs are discussed in
detail.
The final chapter discusses monitoring, including monitoring system design,
data needs and collection, and implementation strategies, along with methods to
monitor edge-of-field overland flow, bottom of root zone, soil, groundwater, and sur-
face water.
The editors thank all authors for their valuable contribution to this book. We
hope it will give people a better insight into the issues involved in agricultural non-
point source pollution and its control.
William F. Ritter
Adel Shirmohammadi
© 2001 by CRC Press LLC
Editors
William F. Ritter, Ph.D. is Professor of Bioresources and Civil and Environmental
Engineering at the University of Delaware and a Senior Policy Fellow in the Center
for Energy and Environment Policy.
In 1965 Dr. Ritter received his B.S.A. in agricultural engineering from the
University of Guelph, and in 1966 received a B.A.S. in civil engineering from the
University of Toronto. He obtained his M.S. in 1968 in water resources and his Ph.D.
in 1971 in sanitary and agricultural engineering from Iowa State University. He was
a research associate at Iowa State University from 1966 to 1971 and joined the
Agricultural Engineering Department at the University of Delaware as an assistant
professor in 1971. He served as department chair of the Agricultural Engineering
Department from 1992 to 1998.
Dr. Ritter is a registered professional engineer in Delaware, Maryland,
Pennsylvania, and New Jersey and is a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural
Engineers and American Society of Civil Engineers. He is also a member of the
American Water Works Association, Water Environment Federation, Canadian
Society of Agricultural Engineers, and American Society of Engineering Education.
He has taught courses on hydrology, soil erosion, irrigation, drainage, soil physics,
solid waste management, wastewater treatment, and land application of wastes. He
has conducted research on irrigation water management, livestock waste manage-
ment, surface and groundwater quality, and land application of wastes. He has served
as a consultant to government and industry on wastewater management, water qual-
ity, land application of wastes, and livestock waste management.
Dr. Ritter is the author of more than 270 papers, reports, and book contributions
and has presented over 140 papers at regional, national, and international confer-
ences. He has also received numerous awards that include the College of Agriculture
Outstanding Research Award (1990), ASAE Gunlogson Countryside Engineering
Award (1989), ASCE Outstanding News Correspondent (1997), and ASCE Delaware
Section Civil Engineer of the Year (1999).
Dr. Adel Shirmohammadi, Ph.D. is Professor of Biological Resources
Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park campus.
In 1974, Dr. Shirmohammadi received his B.S. in agricultural engineering from
the University of Rezaeiyeh in Iran. He obtained an M.S. in 1977 in agricultural engi-
neering from the University of Nebraska and a Ph.D. in 1982 in biological and agri-
cultural engineering from North Carolina State University. From 1982 to 1986 he was
a post-doctoral agricultural research engineer and assistant research scientist in the
Agricultural Engineering Department at the University of Georgia Coastal Plains
Experiment Station at Tifton. In 1986, he joined the Agricultural Engineering
Department at the University of Maryland as an assistant professor.
Dr. Shirmohammadi is a member of the American Society of Agricultural
Engineers, Soil and Water Conservation Society of America, and American
v
© 2001 by CRC Press LLC
Geophysical Union. He has taught courses in hydrology, soil and water conservation
engineering, water quality modeling, flow-through porous media, and nonpoint
source pollution. He has conducted research in hydrologic and water quality mode-
ling, drainage, and nonpoint source pollution. He has developed an international
reputation in water quality modeling for his work with CREAMS, GLEAMS,
DRAINMODE, and ANSWERS.
Dr. Shirmohammadi has received numerous competitive grants and has served as
a consultant to industry and government. He is the author of more than 100 refereed
publications, conference proceedings, papers, and book contributions.
© 2001 by CRC Press LLC
--,
Contributors
Lars Bergstrom, Ph.D. Theo A. Dillaha III, Ph.D.
Professor Professor
Swedish University of Agricultural Biological Systems Engineering
Sciences Department
Division of Water Quality Research Virginia Polytechnic and State
Uppsala, Sweden University
[email protected] Blacksburg, VA
[email protected]
Kevin M. Brannan, M.S.
Research Associate Dwayne R. Edwards, Ph.D.
Biological Systems Engineering Associate Professor
Department Biosystems and Agricultural
Virginia Polytechnic and State Engineering Department
University University of Kentucky
Blacksburg, VA Lexington, KY
[email protected]
Blaine R. Hanson, Ph.D.
Adriana C. Bruggeman, Ph.D. Irrigation and Drainage Specialist
Research Associate Department of Land, Air and Water
Biological Systems Engineering Resources
Department University of California
Virginia Polytechnic and State Davis, CA
University [email protected]
Blacksburg, VA
Walter G. Knisel, Jr., Ph.D.
Kenneth L. Campbell, Ph.D. Retired Hydraulic Engineer of USDA-
Professor ARS and Affiliate Professor
Agricultural and Biological Engineering Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Department Department
University of Florida Coastal Plains Experiment Station
Gainesville, FL University of Georgia
[email protected] Tifton, GA
[email protected]
© 2001 by CRC Press LLC
William L. Magette, Ph.D. Adel Shirmohammadi, Ph.D.
Lecturer Biological Resources Engineering
Agricultural and Food Engineering Department
Department University of Maryland
University College Dublin College Park, MD
Dublin, Ireland [email protected]
[email protected]
William F. Ritter, Ph.D.
Hubert J. Montas, Ph.D. Bioresources Engineering
Assistant Professor Department
Biological Resources Engineering University of Delaware
Department Newark, DE
University of Maryland [email protected]
College Park, MD
[email protected] Thomas J. Trout, Ph.D.
Agricultural Engineer
Saied Mostaghimi, Ph.D. USDA-ARS Water Management
H. E. and Elizabeth Alphin Professor Research Laboratory
Biological Systems Engineering Fresno, CA
Department
Virginia Polytechnic and State Mary Leigh Wolfe, Ph.D.
University Associate Professor
Blacksburg, VA Biological Systems Engineering
[email protected] Department
Virginia Polytechnic and State
Mark A. Nearing, Ph.D. University
Scientist Blacksburg, VA
USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion [email protected]
Research Laboratory
West Lafayette, IN Xunchang Zhang, Ph.D.
[email protected] Scientist
USDA-ARS Soil Erosion Research
L. Darrell Norton, Ph.D. Laboratory
Scientist West Lafayette, IN
USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion
Research Laboratory
West Lafayette, IN
© 2001 by CRC Press LLC
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Hydrology
Mary Leigh Wolfe
Chapter 2
Soil Erosion and Sedimentation
Mark A. Nearing, L. Darrell Norton, and Xunchang Zhang
Chapter 3
Nitrogen and Water Quality
William F. Ritter and Lars Bergstrom
Chapter 4
Phosphorus and Water Quality Impacts
Kenneth L. Campbell and Dwayne R. Edwards
Chapter 5
Pesticides and Water Quality Impacts
William F. Ritter
Chapter 6
Nonpoint Source Pollution and Livestock Manure Management
William F. Ritter
Chapter 7
Irrigated Agriculture and Water Quality Impacts
Blaine R. Hanson and Thomas J. Trout
Chapter 8
Agricultural Drainage and Water Quality
William F. Ritter and Adel Shirmohammadi
Chapter 9
Water Quality Models
Adel Shirmohammadi, Hubert J. Montas, Lars Bergstrom, and Walter J. Knisel, Jr.
© 2001 by CRC Press LLC
Chapter 10
Best Management Practices for Nonpoint Source Pollution Control:
Selection and Assessment
Saied Mostaghimi, Kevin M. Brannan, Theo A. Dillaha and
Adriana C. Bruggeman
Chapter 11
Monitoring
William L. Magette
© 2001 by CRC Press LLC