| Citation |
Malekani, F. 2012. A new approach to estimate monthly groundwater nitrate loading from an individual agricultural field. MSc Thesis, University of Calgary. |
| Organization |
University of Calgary |
| URL |
http://theses.ucalgary.ca/handle/11023/299 |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
The magnitude and timing of nitrate export from a single agricultural field was investigated using an approach that combined detailed vertical groundwater nitrate concentration profiles with Darcy’s flux estimation at the down-gradient edge of the field. Groundwater was sampled approximately monthly using passive diffusion samplers. Darcy groundwater fluxes were estimated using field-measured hydraulic gradients and lab-estimated hydraulic conductivity. Nitrate exported from the agricultural field over the year-long monitoring period was estimated to be 71 kg N ha-1, while the chloride mass flux estimate was 49 kg Cl ha-1. The similarity in field applied chloride (51 kg Cl ha-1) and estimated export suggests the mass flux estimation approach is robust. The highest monthly mass flux was observed in February and March (approximately 9 kg N ha-1) and was associated with leaching from the soil zone with the onset fall precipitation after the growing season. |
| Information Type |
thesis |
| Regional Watershed |
Lower Fraser |
| Sub-watershed if known |
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| Aquifer # |
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| Comments |
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| Project status |
complete |
| Contact Name |
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| Contact Email |
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