Open AccessHydrogeologic controls on nitrate transport in a small agricultural catchment, Iowa
Author(s) -
Schilling K. E.,
Tomer M. D.,
Zhang Y.K.,
Weisbrod T.,
Jacobson P.,
Cambardella C. A.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: biogeosciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2007jg000405
Subject(s) - nitrate , hydrology (agriculture) , groundwater , environmental science , riparian zone , soil water , drainage basin , water quality , aquifer , hydrogeology , surface runoff , geology , soil science , ecology , geotechnical engineering , cartography , geography , habitat , biology
Effects of subsurface deposits on nitrate loss in stream riparian zones are recognized, but little attention has been focused on similar processes occurring in upland agricultural settings. In this paper, we evaluated hydrogeologic controls on nitrate transport processes occurring in a small 7.6 ha Iowa catchment. Subsurface deposits in the catchment consisted of upland areas of loess overlying weathered pre‐Illinoian till, drained by two ephemeral drainageways that consisted of Holocene‐age silty and organic rich alluvium. Water tables in upland areas fluctuated more than 4 m per year compared to less than 0.3 m in the drainageway. Water quality patterns showed a distinct spatial pattern, with groundwater in the drainageways having lower nitrate concentrations (<0.5 mg L −1 ) compared to upland areas (>10 mg L −1 ) as wells as lower pH, dissolved oxygen and redox, and higher ammonium and dissolved organic carbon levels. Several lines of evidence suggested that conditions are conducive for denitrification of groundwater flowing from uplands through the drainageways. Field‐measured nitrate decay rates in the drainageways (∼0.02 day −1 ) were consistent with other laboratory studies and regional patterns. Results from MODFLOW and MT3DMS simulations indicated that soils in the ephemeral drainageways could process all upland groundwater nitrate flowing through them. However, model‐simulated tile drainage increased both water flux and nitrate loss from the upland catchment. Study results suggest that ephemeral drainageways can provide a natural nitrate treatment system in our upland glaciated catchments, offering management opportunities to reduce nitrate delivery to streams.