Designing Schemes to Mitigate Non-Point Source Water Pollution from Agriculture: The Value of High-Resolution Hydrochemical and Hydrophysical Data

Abstract:

To effectively mitigate non-point source water pollution from agriculture, first it is vital to have an awareness of a watershed’s hydrological and contaminant regime. Understanding the magnitude and timing of pollutant export, as well as the pathways by which different constituents are delivered to a water course, is paramount. One approach to gaining this type of knowledge is to observe pollutant fluxes at the watershed outlet.

The River Eden Demonstration Test Catchments programme uses in-situ monitoring equipment to provide high-resolution (30 minute) data for three mixed-agriculture watersheds (ca. 10km²) in north western England. Determinands measured include turbidity, phosphorus, nitrate, chlorophyll-a, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH and temperature, along with river discharge and rainfall. Provided with these data, and an awareness of significant agricultural activities carried out in the watershed on an annual basis, this study demonstrates how it is possible to identify different pollutant transfer pathways, along with their spatio-temporal nature, and their relative importance. This information is then used to inform appropriate mitigation design. In relation to this purpose, the pros and cons of the different hydrochemical and hydrophysical data are described, and recommendations made for other determinands that should be considered for measurement in future similar studies.