Agricultural land use impacts on karst groundwater quality
Abstract
The impact on water quality by agricultural activity in karst terrain is an important consideration for resource management within the Appalachian Region. Karst areas make up about eighteen percent of the Region's land area. An estimated one-third of the Region's farms, cattle, and agricultural market value are located on karst terrain. Nitrate, fecal bacteria, and triazine herbicide concentrations were measured in several karst springs in Southeastern West Virginia to determine the impact of agriculture on water quality of the karst groundwater system. Karst basins with 79, 5 1, 16, and 0 percent agriculture had mean nitrate-N concentrations of 3.4, 2.7, 0.6, and 0.1 mg/l, respectively. A strong linear relationship between nitrate-N concentration and percent agricultural land was shown. Mean nitrate-N concentration increased about 0.044 mg/l per percent increase in agricultural land. Fecal bacteria concentrations also significantly increased with percent agricultural land. Atrazine and its metabolites were detected in all springs, at low levels, 0.5 pg/l) during and after the application period. Samples from cave streams indicated a strong land use influence on water quality. Mean nitratsN concentrations ranged fiom 3.5 mg/l to 18.3 mg/l. Mean fecal coliform counts ranged fiom 2 colonies per 100 ml to more than 4,100 colonies per 100 ml. It was concluded that agriculture was significantly affecting water quality in the karst aquifer and strict best management practice adherence may be necessary to protect the groundwater resource.
Author-supplied keywords
Sign up today - FREE
Mendeley saves you time finding and organizing research. Learn more
- All your research in one place
- Add and import papers easily
- Access it anywhere, anytime