Abstract
Groundwater pollution with nitrate of agricultural origin is a major problem in many countries. A great deal of effort is focused on finding ways to reduce leaching from agricultural land. In this study, different land management scenarios were evaluated with the SWAT model in order to determine which are the most effective in reducing nitrate leaching on specific soil types in the Krška kotlina alluvial plain (Slovenia). The area is very important both for agriculture production and drinking water resources. The model was calibrated for three soil moisture field trial sites, each representing one major soil type of the area. Simulated soil moisture values were in good agreement with the observed values (PBIAS (percent bias) ±25%). Of the nine land management scenarios that were evaluated, vegetable rotation caused the most nitrate leaching on all soil types, but it fared better on Cambisol than on Fluvisol. Orchards on the other hand leached the least amount of nitrate, but also fared better on Cambisol. Presented studies should be considered as a preliminary stage in the study of nitrate pollution in the investigated area. Results show that nitrate leaching varies for different land management scenarios on different soil types. Further work should concentrate on field trials to evaluate the impacts of reduced fertilization on nitrate leaching and both crop yield and quality on different soil types.
Highlights
Nitrate pollution of groundwater, despite many regulations and measures applied in previous decades, is still a concern in many places around the globe
With the use of scenario analysis, we aimed to discover which management practices are the least influential on nitrate leaching from different soil types
Soil water simulation results from SWAT model are reasonable, both when comparing it to precipitation measurements (Figure 2) and to measured soil water data from the sites (Figure 3)
Summary
Despite many regulations and measures applied in previous decades, is still a concern in many places around the globe. Areas with significant nitrate leaching oftentimes provide ecosystem services of both water and food. This is certainly the case for most of the vulnerable areas in Slovenia, where shallow aquifers that lie underneath the best agricultural lands are the main source of drinking water [1]. With fertilization being the main source of diffuse nitrate pollution through leaching losses in agricultural areas, water protection strategies are usually based on reduction or modification of fertilizing. Despite the water protection regime that was introduced in Slovenia more than a decade ago, groundwater in several aquifers in Slovenia is still not in a ‘good state’ [3], according to the official monitoring reports [4]
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