Impacts of Land Use, Fertilizer and Manure Application on the Stream Nutrient Loadings in the Salmon River Watershed, South-Central British Columbia, Canada
Affiliation(s)
Water & Aquatic Sciences Research Program, Department of Biology, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC, Canada. Kamloops Range Research Station, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 3015 Ord Road, Kamloops, BC, Canada.
Water & Aquatic Sciences Research Program, Department of Biology, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC, Canada. Kamloops Range Research Station, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 3015 Ord Road, Kamloops, BC, Canada.
ABSTRACT
Manure and fertilizer applications can increase soil productivity and land economic values, but the controversial result can be a decline of water quality due to the increased nutrient exports from soils to the streams. The impacts of landuse, manure and fertilizer application on nutrient exports from soils to the streams were analyzed using the SWAT (Soil Water Assessment Tool) model for the Salmon River watershed in south-central British Columbia, Canada. The results showed that the animal farms had the highest rates of nutrient exports from soils to the streams and the natural forested lands had the lowest. It was estimated that the whole Salmon River watershed would export approximately 11.52 t·yr-1 of organic nitrogen (ON), 8.05 t·yr-1 of nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N), 2.30 t·yr-1 of organic phosphorus (OP) and 1.36 t·yr-1 of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) if the whole watershed was covered by natural vegetation without human disturbance. Current landuse changes, by converting natural vegetation lands to agriculture and animal farms and associated manure and fertilizer applications, have in-creased approximately 53.30 t·yr-1 of ON, 9.68 t·yr-1 of NO3-N, 22.69 t·y-1 of OP and 6.23 t·y-1 of SRP exports to the streams in the whole watershed. The SWAT model predicted that a daily 100 kg·ha-1 of fresh manure deposit from grazing cows during grazing season from later spring to later fall could increase 2.57 kg·ha-1·yr-1 of ON, 0.39 kg·ha-1·yr-1 of NO3-N, 2.35 kg·ha-1·yr-1 of OP and 0.48 kg·ha-1·yr-1 of SRP export to the streams. Fertilization could increase 1.57 kg ha-1 yr-1 of ON and 4.02 kg·ha-1·yr-1 of NO3-N export to the streams if 100 kg·ha-1·yr-1 of nitrogen (NH4NO3) fertilizer was applied in spring. Also fertilization could increase 1.18 kg·ha-1·yr-1 of OP and 0.20 kg·ha-1·yr-1 of SRP export to the streams if 100 kg·ha-1 phosphorus (P2O5) fertilizer was applied in spring.
Manure and fertilizer applications can increase soil productivity and land economic values, but the controversial result can be a decline of water quality due to the increased nutrient exports from soils to the streams. The impacts of landuse, manure and fertilizer application on nutrient exports from soils to the streams were analyzed using the SWAT (Soil Water Assessment Tool) model for the Salmon River watershed in south-central British Columbia, Canada. The results showed that the animal farms had the highest rates of nutrient exports from soils to the streams and the natural forested lands had the lowest. It was estimated that the whole Salmon River watershed would export approximately 11.52 t·yr-1 of organic nitrogen (ON), 8.05 t·yr-1 of nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N), 2.30 t·yr-1 of organic phosphorus (OP) and 1.36 t·yr-1 of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) if the whole watershed was covered by natural vegetation without human disturbance. Current landuse changes, by converting natural vegetation lands to agriculture and animal farms and associated manure and fertilizer applications, have in-creased approximately 53.30 t·yr-1 of ON, 9.68 t·yr-1 of NO3-N, 22.69 t·y-1 of OP and 6.23 t·y-1 of SRP exports to the streams in the whole watershed. The SWAT model predicted that a daily 100 kg·ha-1 of fresh manure deposit from grazing cows during grazing season from later spring to later fall could increase 2.57 kg·ha-1·yr-1 of ON, 0.39 kg·ha-1·yr-1 of NO3-N, 2.35 kg·ha-1·yr-1 of OP and 0.48 kg·ha-1·yr-1 of SRP export to the streams. Fertilization could increase 1.57 kg ha-1 yr-1 of ON and 4.02 kg·ha-1·yr-1 of NO3-N export to the streams if 100 kg·ha-1·yr-1 of nitrogen (NH4NO3) fertilizer was applied in spring. Also fertilization could increase 1.18 kg·ha-1·yr-1 of OP and 0.20 kg·ha-1·yr-1 of SRP export to the streams if 100 kg·ha-1 phosphorus (P2O5) fertilizer was applied in spring.
Cite this paper
Z. Zhu, K. Broersma and A. Mazumder, "Impacts of Land Use, Fertilizer and Manure Application on the Stream Nutrient Loadings in the Salmon River Watershed, South-Central British Columbia, Canada," Journal of Environmental Protection, Vol. 3 No. 8, 2012, pp. 809-822. doi: 10.4236/jep.2012.328096.
Z. Zhu, K. Broersma and A. Mazumder, "Impacts of Land Use, Fertilizer and Manure Application on the Stream Nutrient Loadings in the Salmon River Watershed, South-Central British Columbia, Canada," Journal of Environmental Protection, Vol. 3 No. 8, 2012, pp. 809-822. doi: 10.4236/jep.2012.328096.
References
[1] K. C. Abbaspour, J. Yang, I. Maximov, K. B. Siber, J. Mieleitner, J. Zobrist and R. Srinivasan, “Modelling Hydrology and Water Quality in the Pre-Alpine/Alpine Thur Watershed Using SWAT,” Journal of Hydrology, Vol. 333, No. 2-4, 2007, pp. 413-430. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.09.014 [2] E. W. Boyer, C. L. Goodale, N. A. Jaworski and R. W. Howarth, “Anthropogenic Nitrogen Sources and Relationships to Riverine Nitrogen Export in Northeastern USA,” Biogeochemistry, Vol. 57-58, No. 1, 2002, pp. 137-169. doi:10.1023/A:1015709302073 [3] J. E. Schoonover and B. G. Lockaby, “Land Cover Impacts on Stream Nutrients and Fecal Coliform in the Lower Piedmont of West Georgia,” Journal of Hydrology, Vol. 331, No. 3-4, 2006, pp. 371-382. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.05.031 [4] V. Smil, “Nitrogen in Crop Production: An Account of Global Flows,” Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Vol. 13, No. 2, 1999, pp. 647-662. doi:10.1029/1999GB900015 [5] S. R. Carpenter, N. F. Caraco, D. L. Correll, R. W. Howarth, A. N. Sharpley and V. H. Smith, “Nonpoint Pollution of Surface Waters with P and Nitrogen,” Ecological Applications, Vol. 8, No. 3, 1998, pp. 559-568. doi:10.1890/1051-0761(1998)008[0559:NPOSWW]2.0.CO;2 [6] R. W. Howarth, G. Billen, D. Swaeny, A. Townsend, N. Jaworski, K. Lajtha, J. A. Downing, R. Elmgern, N. Caraco, T. Jordan, F. Berendse, J. Freney, V. Kudeyarov, P. Murdoch and Z. Zaho-Lina, “Regional Nitrogen Budgets and Riverine N & P Fluxes for the Drainages to the North Atlantic Ocean: Nature and Human Influences,” Biogeochemistry, Vol. 35, No. 1, 1996, pp. 75-139. doi:10.1007/BF02179825 [7] Z. Zhu, K, Broersma and A. Mazumder, “Model Assessment of Cattle and Climate Change Impacts on Stream Fecal Coliform Pollution in the Salmon River Watershed, British Columbia, Canada,” Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, Vol. 215, No. 1-4, 2011, pp. 155-176. doi:10.1007/s11270-010-0467-0 [8] L. Fewtrell, “Drinking-Water Nitrate, Methemoglobinemia, and Global Burden of Disease: A Discussion,” Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 112, No. 9, 2004, pp. 1371-1374. [9] D. W. Schindler, “The Cumulative Effects of Climate Warming and Other Human Stresses on Canadian Fresh- waters in the New Millennium,” Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Vol. 58, No. 1, 2001, pp. 18-29. doi:10.1139/f00-179 [10] U. Larsson, R. Elmgren and F. Wulff, “Eutro-Phication and the Baltic Sea: Causes and Consequences,” Ambio, Vol. 14, No. 1, 1985, pp. 9-14. [11] J. Meidinger and J. Pojar, “Ecosystems of British Columbia, Special Report Series 6,” BC Ministry of Forests PO BOX 9049 STN, Victoria, BC, Canada V8W 9E2, 1991. [12] K. S. Bracmort, M. Arabi, J. R. Frankenberger, B. A. Engel and J. G. Arnold, “Modeling Long-Term Water Quality Impacts of Structural BMPs,” Transactions of the ASABE, Vol. 42, No. 2, 2006, pp. 367-374. [13] Environment Canada, BC Ministry of Environment and Yukon Department of Environment, “British Columbia and Yukon Territory Water Quality Report (2001-2004), an Application of the Canadian Water Quality Index,” Environment Canada, 10 Wellington, Gatineau, QC, Canada K1A 0H3, 2007. [14] S. Gwanikar, S. Cross, D. MacDonald, J. R. Brown, D. Q. Tao and T. Berger, “Salmon River: Water Quality Assessment and Recommended Objectives, Technical Appendix-Volume I, Prepared for Environment Canada,” Aquametrix Research Ltd., 204-2527 Beacon Avenue, Sidney, BC, Canada V8L 1Y1, 1998. [15] S. L. Neitsch, J. G. Arnold, J. R. Kiniry, R. Srinivasan and J. R. Williams, “Soil and Water Assessment Tool User’s Manual,” Grassland, Soil & Water Research Laboratory, Temple, Texas, GSWRL Report 02-02, 2002. [16] Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, “Canadian System of Soil Classification,” Third Edition, NRC Research Press, 1200 Montreal Rd, Bldg M-55, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1A 0R6, 1998. [17] N. Kannan, S. M. White and M. J. Whelan, “Predicting Diffuse-Source Transfers of Surfactants to Surface Water Using SWAT,” Chemosphere, Vol. 66, No. 7, 2007, pp. 1336-1345. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.07.005 [18] M. B. Beck, “Water Quality Modelling: A Review of the Analysis of Uncertainty,” Water Resources Research, Vol. 23, No. 8, 1987, pp. 1393-1442. doi:10.1029/WR023i008p01393 [19] V. Kleme?, “Operational Testing of Hydrological Simulation Models,” Hydrological Sciences Journal, Vol. 31, No. 1, 1986, pp. 13-24. doi:10.1080/02626668609491024 [20] J. E. Nash and J. V. Sutcliffe, “River Flow Forezcasting through Conceptual Models Part I—A Discussion of Principles,” Journal of Hydrology, Vol. 10, No. 4, 1970, pp. 282-290. doi:10.1016/0022-1694(70)90255-6 [21] B. Grizzetti, F. Bouraoui, K. Granlund, S. Rekolainen and G. Bidoglio, “Modelling Diffuse Emission and Retention of Nutrients in the Van-taanjoki Watershed (Finland) Using the SWAT Model,” Ecological Modelling, Vol. 169, No., 2003, pp. 25-38. [22] T. Meixner, C. Gutmann, R. Bales, A. Ley-decker, J. Sickman, J. Melack and J. McConnell, “Multidecadal Hydrological Response of a Sierra Nevada Watershed: Sensitivity to Weathering Rate and Change in Deposition,” Journal of Hydrology, Vol. 285, No. 1-4, 2004, pp. 272-285. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2003.09.005 [23] R. Lowrance and J. M. Sheridan, “Surface Runoff Water Quality in a Managed Three Zone Riparian Buffer,” Journal of Environmental Quality, Vol. 34, No. 5, 2005, pp. 1851-1859. doi:10.2134/jeq2004.0291 [24] A. Bedard-Haughn, K. W. Tate and C. van Kessel, “Using Nitrogen-15 to Quantify Vegetation Buffer Effectiveness for Sequestering Nitrogen in Runoff,” Journal of Environmental Quality, Vol. 33, No. 6, 2004, pp. 2252- 2262. doi:10.2134/jeq2004.2252 [25] D. B. Jaynes, T. S. Colvin, D. L. Karlen, C. A. Cambardella and D. W. Meek, “Nitrate Loss in Subsurface Drainage as Affected by Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate,” Journal of Environmental Quality, Vol. 30, No. 4, 2001, pp. 1305-1314. doi:10.2134/jeq2001.3041305x
[1] K. C. Abbaspour, J. Yang, I. Maximov, K. B. Siber, J. Mieleitner, J. Zobrist and R. Srinivasan, “Modelling Hydrology and Water Quality in the Pre-Alpine/Alpine Thur Watershed Using SWAT,” Journal of Hydrology, Vol. 333, No. 2-4, 2007, pp. 413-430. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.09.014 [2] E. W. Boyer, C. L. Goodale, N. A. Jaworski and R. W. Howarth, “Anthropogenic Nitrogen Sources and Relationships to Riverine Nitrogen Export in Northeastern USA,” Biogeochemistry, Vol. 57-58, No. 1, 2002, pp. 137-169. doi:10.1023/A:1015709302073 [3] J. E. Schoonover and B. G. Lockaby, “Land Cover Impacts on Stream Nutrients and Fecal Coliform in the Lower Piedmont of West Georgia,” Journal of Hydrology, Vol. 331, No. 3-4, 2006, pp. 371-382. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.05.031 [4] V. Smil, “Nitrogen in Crop Production: An Account of Global Flows,” Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Vol. 13, No. 2, 1999, pp. 647-662. doi:10.1029/1999GB900015 [5] S. R. Carpenter, N. F. Caraco, D. L. Correll, R. W. Howarth, A. N. Sharpley and V. H. Smith, “Nonpoint Pollution of Surface Waters with P and Nitrogen,” Ecological Applications, Vol. 8, No. 3, 1998, pp. 559-568. doi:10.1890/1051-0761(1998)008[0559:NPOSWW]2.0.CO;2 [6] R. W. Howarth, G. Billen, D. Swaeny, A. Townsend, N. Jaworski, K. Lajtha, J. A. Downing, R. Elmgern, N. Caraco, T. Jordan, F. Berendse, J. Freney, V. Kudeyarov, P. Murdoch and Z. Zaho-Lina, “Regional Nitrogen Budgets and Riverine N & P Fluxes for the Drainages to the North Atlantic Ocean: Nature and Human Influences,” Biogeochemistry, Vol. 35, No. 1, 1996, pp. 75-139. doi:10.1007/BF02179825 [7] Z. Zhu, K, Broersma and A. Mazumder, “Model Assessment of Cattle and Climate Change Impacts on Stream Fecal Coliform Pollution in the Salmon River Watershed, British Columbia, Canada,” Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, Vol. 215, No. 1-4, 2011, pp. 155-176. doi:10.1007/s11270-010-0467-0 [8] L. Fewtrell, “Drinking-Water Nitrate, Methemoglobinemia, and Global Burden of Disease: A Discussion,” Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 112, No. 9, 2004, pp. 1371-1374. [9] D. W. Schindler, “The Cumulative Effects of Climate Warming and Other Human Stresses on Canadian Fresh- waters in the New Millennium,” Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Vol. 58, No. 1, 2001, pp. 18-29. doi:10.1139/f00-179 [10] U. Larsson, R. Elmgren and F. Wulff, “Eutro-Phication and the Baltic Sea: Causes and Consequences,” Ambio, Vol. 14, No. 1, 1985, pp. 9-14. [11] J. Meidinger and J. Pojar, “Ecosystems of British Columbia, Special Report Series 6,” BC Ministry of Forests PO BOX 9049 STN, Victoria, BC, Canada V8W 9E2, 1991. [12] K. S. Bracmort, M. Arabi, J. R. Frankenberger, B. A. Engel and J. G. Arnold, “Modeling Long-Term Water Quality Impacts of Structural BMPs,” Transactions of the ASABE, Vol. 42, No. 2, 2006, pp. 367-374. [13] Environment Canada, BC Ministry of Environment and Yukon Department of Environment, “British Columbia and Yukon Territory Water Quality Report (2001-2004), an Application of the Canadian Water Quality Index,” Environment Canada, 10 Wellington, Gatineau, QC, Canada K1A 0H3, 2007. [14] S. Gwanikar, S. Cross, D. MacDonald, J. R. Brown, D. Q. Tao and T. Berger, “Salmon River: Water Quality Assessment and Recommended Objectives, Technical Appendix-Volume I, Prepared for Environment Canada,” Aquametrix Research Ltd., 204-2527 Beacon Avenue, Sidney, BC, Canada V8L 1Y1, 1998. [15] S. L. Neitsch, J. G. Arnold, J. R. Kiniry, R. Srinivasan and J. R. Williams, “Soil and Water Assessment Tool User’s Manual,” Grassland, Soil & Water Research Laboratory, Temple, Texas, GSWRL Report 02-02, 2002. [16] Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, “Canadian System of Soil Classification,” Third Edition, NRC Research Press, 1200 Montreal Rd, Bldg M-55, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1A 0R6, 1998. [17] N. Kannan, S. M. White and M. J. Whelan, “Predicting Diffuse-Source Transfers of Surfactants to Surface Water Using SWAT,” Chemosphere, Vol. 66, No. 7, 2007, pp. 1336-1345. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.07.005 [18] M. B. Beck, “Water Quality Modelling: A Review of the Analysis of Uncertainty,” Water Resources Research, Vol. 23, No. 8, 1987, pp. 1393-1442. doi:10.1029/WR023i008p01393 [19] V. Kleme?, “Operational Testing of Hydrological Simulation Models,” Hydrological Sciences Journal, Vol. 31, No. 1, 1986, pp. 13-24. doi:10.1080/02626668609491024 [20] J. E. Nash and J. V. Sutcliffe, “River Flow Forezcasting through Conceptual Models Part I—A Discussion of Principles,” Journal of Hydrology, Vol. 10, No. 4, 1970, pp. 282-290. doi:10.1016/0022-1694(70)90255-6 [21] B. Grizzetti, F. Bouraoui, K. Granlund, S. Rekolainen and G. Bidoglio, “Modelling Diffuse Emission and Retention of Nutrients in the Van-taanjoki Watershed (Finland) Using the SWAT Model,” Ecological Modelling, Vol. 169, No., 2003, pp. 25-38. [22] T. Meixner, C. Gutmann, R. Bales, A. Ley-decker, J. Sickman, J. Melack and J. McConnell, “Multidecadal Hydrological Response of a Sierra Nevada Watershed: Sensitivity to Weathering Rate and Change in Deposition,” Journal of Hydrology, Vol. 285, No. 1-4, 2004, pp. 272-285. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2003.09.005 [23] R. Lowrance and J. M. Sheridan, “Surface Runoff Water Quality in a Managed Three Zone Riparian Buffer,” Journal of Environmental Quality, Vol. 34, No. 5, 2005, pp. 1851-1859. doi:10.2134/jeq2004.0291 [24] A. Bedard-Haughn, K. W. Tate and C. van Kessel, “Using Nitrogen-15 to Quantify Vegetation Buffer Effectiveness for Sequestering Nitrogen in Runoff,” Journal of Environmental Quality, Vol. 33, No. 6, 2004, pp. 2252- 2262. doi:10.2134/jeq2004.2252 [25] D. B. Jaynes, T. S. Colvin, D. L. Karlen, C. A. Cambardella and D. W. Meek, “Nitrate Loss in Subsurface Drainage as Affected by Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate,” Journal of Environmental Quality, Vol. 30, No. 4, 2001, pp. 1305-1314. doi:10.2134/jeq2001.3041305x