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NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS IN WATER AS RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL SEVI'ING IN NEBRASKA 1
Author(s) -
Helgesen J. O.,
Zelt R. B.,
Stamer J. K.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
jawra journal of the american water resources association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.957
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1752-1688
pISSN - 1093-474X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1752-1688.1994.tb03330.x
Subject(s) - phosphorus , environmental science , water quality , nitrogen , hydrology (agriculture) , nitrate , streams , rangeland , nutrient , loess , ecology , chemistry , geology , biology , agroforestry , computer network , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , geomorphology , computer science
Spatial distributions of nitrogen and phosphorus in water were related to environmental setting as part of a regional water‐quality assessment of the Central Nebraska Basins. The environmental settings (Sandhills, Loess Hills, Glaciated Area, and Platte Valley) were characterized by different concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in ground water and stream water. Statistically significant differences in nitrate concentrations in both ground‐water and stream‐water samples were related to regional distributions of cropland and rangeland. Nitrate concentrations were larger, especially in shallow ground water, in environmental settings dominated by cropland and associated fertilizer use than in settings dominated by rangeland. Similarly, total‐nitrogen and nitrate concentrations were relatively large in selected streams draining primarily cropland. Comparative concentrations of phosphorus in stream water on the basis of environmental setting were similar to those of nitrogen, although the largest phosphorus concentrations probably relate to wastewater discharge into small streams. Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in much of the Platte River apparently reflected the quality of water entering the study unit from upstream and limited base‐flow contributions from within the Platte Valley itself.