Impact of land use on nitrogen concentration in groundwater and river water

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of land use on nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) in shallow groundwater (G-N) and total nitrogen (N) in river water (R-N). The study area consisted of 26 watersheds (1342 km2) covering 72% of Kagawa Prefecture in Japan. We estimated G-N specific concentrations, which showed the magnitude of the upland fields, paddy fields, forests and urban land-use contributions to watershed-mean G-N. G-N specific concentrations were gained as partial regression coefficients using a multiple regression analysis of the watershed-mean G-N concentrations and the land-use ratios in each of the 26 watersheds. The results showed that the G-N specific concentration, which was gained as the partial regression coefficient for the multiple regression analysis, was 15.2 mg L−1, 10.3 mg L−1, 2.3 mg L−1 and 2.5 mg L−1 for the upland fields, paddy fields, forests and urban land-use types, respectively. R-N pollution load runoff to the river mouth was calculated by multiplying R-N specific concentration (previously reported) by river flow at the river mouth. Similarly, G-N pollution load arrival to groundwater was calculated by multiplying G-N specific concentration by the groundwater flow. The R-N pollution load runoff was 19.3 kg ha−1 y−1, 7.7 kg ha−1 y−1, 1.7 kg ha−1 y−1 and 7.6 kg ha−1 y−1, while the G-N pollution load arrival was 7.3 kg ha−1 y−1, 5.0 kg ha−1 y−1, 1.1 kg ha−1 y−1 and 1.2 kg ha−1 y−1, for upland fields, paddy fields, forests and urban areas, respectively. These results showed that the N in river water and groundwater was derived mainly from runoff and leaching from croplands. Therefore, the relationships between watershed-mean non-absorbed, applied nitrogen (NAA-N: nitrogen applied to cropland via fertilizer and manure without being absorbed by crops), R-N concentration and watershed-mean G-N concentration were investigated. A curvilinear correlation was observed between NAA-N and R-N concentrations (r2 = 0.68) except for one small, high-density, urban watershed, and a weak linear correlation was observed between NAA-N and G-N concentrations (r2 = 0.42).