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Nitrate Dynamics in Fall Creek, New York
Author(s) -
Johnson Arthur H.,
Bouldin David R.,
Goyette Edward A.,
Hedges Anne M.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1976.00472425000500040011x
Subject(s) - environmental science , leaching (pedology) , nitrate , watershed , pasture , hay , hydrology (agriculture) , water quality , seasonality , sewage , zoology , agronomy , soil water , environmental engineering , ecology , biology , geotechnical engineering , machine learning , computer science , soil science , engineering
Nitrate loss from a 330‐km 2 rural watershed in central New York was monitored over a 31‐month period. Seasonal NO 3 ‐N patterns were well defined with highest levels in the winter and lowest levels in the summer resulting from accumulation of NO 3 ‐N in the soil profile during the growing season and leaching during the winter months. Stream water at the outlet of the watershed studied is used as a source of drinking water for some 20,000 people. Nitrate‐N concentrations at the drinking water intake currently do not exceed 3 mg/liter. Human activities affected NO 3 ‐N levels, with dairying and sewage being the major contributors. If agriculture is expanded to its maximum acreage, keeping the present ratio of corn/hay/pasture/people, NO 3 ‐N levels at the drinking water intake will not exceed present standards for drinking water.