State Indicator of Water Quality for Surface Water and Groundwater in Agriculture

Abstract

Indicators of environmental conditions qualitatively and quantitatively describe the state of the environment and natural resources, and the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) has initiated and suggested AEIs (Agri-Environmental Indicators) to assess trends over time of the effects of agriculture on the environment and the effectiveness and efficiency of agricultural and environmental policy measures since 1990's. This study aims to develop the state indicators of water quality for agricultural water, surface and groundwater, to evaluate the environmental impacts of agricultural activities and policies by qualifying the environmental levels of a nation. Status indicators were calculated according to the agricultural water quality standards of OECD and Korea, and their trends were analyzed over time. Particularly, nitrate (<TEX>$NO_3{^-}$</TEX>) status indicators of ground water in 2013 were significantly lower than the ones in 2000. Overall, the water quality indicators of surface water in 2013 were higher than the ones in 2012, except for pH and DO. The groundwater quality indicators in 2013 were lower than those of previous years. The optimal management indicators were calculated to assess agricultural surface water and groundwater quality. The findings of this study indicated that the state indicators could play a significant role to establish policies and procedures for managing and conserving water resources. This study also discussed water pollution caused by agricultural and industrial effluents.