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The Quality of Shallow Groundwaters in Northern Ireland
Author(s) -
Robins N. S.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
water and environment journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1747-6593
pISSN - 1747-6585
DOI - 10.1111/j.1747-6593.1998.tb00167.x
Subject(s) - hydrogeology , groundwater , nitrate , lithology , hydrology (agriculture) , water table , environmental science , soil water , mineralization (soil science) , nitrogen , population , water quality , geology , geochemistry , soil science , ecology , chemistry , geotechnical engineering , demography , organic chemistry , sociology , biology
Northern Ireland has a diverse range of rock types and lithologies which create small hydrogeological units, each with its own characteristics. The restricted geometry of these units permits only short and shallow groundwater flowpaths to develop, most with at least partial access to atmospheric oxygen. Each hydrogeological unit has a distinctive distribution of mineralization and major ions. In general, groundwater chemistry is stable with time, except for a few areas of intense agricultural activity where trends in nitrate nitrogen concentration are apparent. The relatively high rainfall in Northern Ireland dilutes surplus nutrients which, combined with year‐round moist soils with an active bacterial population, ensures that nitrate nitrogen concentrations are generally low.