Isotopic Assessment of Sources of Surface Water Nitrate within the Oldman River Basin, Southern Alberta, Canada

Abstract

Concentrations and isotopic compositions of NO 3 − from the Oldman River (OMR) and some of its tributaries (Alberta, Canada) have been determined on a monthly basis since December 2000 to assess temporal and spatial variations of riverine NO 3 − sources within the OMR basin. For the OMR sites, NO 3 − -N concentrations reached up to 0.34 mg L−1, δ15N-NO 3 − values varied between −0.3 and +13.8%, and δ18O-NO 3 − values ranged from −10.0 to +5.7%. For the tributary sites, NO 3 − N concentrations were as high as 8.81 mg L−1, δ15N-NO 3 − values varied between −2.5 and +23.4%o, and δ18O-NO 3 − values ranged from −15.2 to +3.4%. Tributaries in the western, relatively pristine forested part of the watershed add predominantly NO 3 − to the OMR with δ15N-NO 3 − values near +2% indicative of soil nitrification. In contrast, tributaries in the eastern agriculturally-urban-industrially-used part of the basin contribute NO 3 − with δ15N-NO 3 − values of about +16% indicative of manure and/or sewage derived NO 3 − . This difference in δ15N-NO 3 − values of tributaries was found to be independent of the season, but rather indicates a spatial change in the NO 3 − source, which correlates with land use changes within the OMR basin. As a consequence of tributary influx, δ15N-NO 3 − values in the Oldman River increased from +6% in the downstream direction (W to E), although [NO 3 − -N] increased only moderately (generally <0.5 mg L−1). This study demonstrates the usefulness of δ15N-NO 3 − and δ18O-NO 3 − values in identifying the addition of anthropogenic NO 3 − to riverine systems.