HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cameron, K. C. Articles by Wild, A. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Cameron, K. C. Articles by Wild, A. Agricola Articles by Cameron, K. C. Articles by Wild, A.

Potential Aquifer Pollution from Nitrate Leaching Following the Plowing of Temporary Grassland¹

ABSTRACT

An investigation of the amounts and concentrations of nitrate released following the plowing of temporary grassland confirmed that, potentially at least, this practice forms a major source of NO₃-N pollution of aquifers. Direct measurements of changes in profile NO₃-N distributions at two sites show that a total of up to about 100 kg N ha^–1 was leached over two winters after fall mineralization following plowing. Solution nitrate concentrations were in excess of the World Health Organization limits for drinking water. The amount of N mineralized was related to the total soil N. The average rate of leaching through the Chalk soils studied in southern England was about 1 m/yr.

Key Words: drainage • water quality • nitrogen • solute movement

¹ Contribution from the Dep. of Soil Sci., The University, Reading, England.

² Lecturer, Dep. of Soil Sci., Lincoln College, Canterbury, New Zealand; and Professor, Dep. of Soil Science, The University, Reading, England, respectively.

Received for publication February 28, 1983.