TY - JOUR

T1 - Grassed buffer strips for the control of nitrate leaching to surface waters in headwater catchments.

AU - Leeds-Harrison, P. B.

AU - Quinton, John N.

AU - Walker, M. J.

AU - Sanders, C. L.

AU - Harrod, T.

N1 - 183AL ECOL ENG

PY - 1999/2

Y1 - 1999/2

N2 - The use of riparian buffer strips is a possible strategy for controlling diffuse nitrate pollution of surface water in agricultural catchments. Data collected from paired buffered and unbuffered headwater catchments at three sites with conditions representative of much of the agricultural land in England and Wales, showed that grassed buffers did not substantially reduce nitrate–nitrogen concentrations entering the streams. Median nitrate–nitrogen levels observed in buffered catchments ranged from 7.6 to 18.8 mgN l−1, but peaked at up to 46.1 mgN l−1. The existence of preferential bypass flow paths during the winter flow events limited the effectiveness of nitrate removing processes within the strips. The findings suggest that grassed riparian buffer strips may not be effective in controlling diffuse nitrate pollution unless the hydrology of the strip allows a suitable environment for denitrification and/or plant uptake. Grassed buffer strips should be carefully targeted or, alternatively, engineered to ensure adequate residence time of solutes within the strip.

AB - The use of riparian buffer strips is a possible strategy for controlling diffuse nitrate pollution of surface water in agricultural catchments. Data collected from paired buffered and unbuffered headwater catchments at three sites with conditions representative of much of the agricultural land in England and Wales, showed that grassed buffers did not substantially reduce nitrate–nitrogen concentrations entering the streams. Median nitrate–nitrogen levels observed in buffered catchments ranged from 7.6 to 18.8 mgN l−1, but peaked at up to 46.1 mgN l−1. The existence of preferential bypass flow paths during the winter flow events limited the effectiveness of nitrate removing processes within the strips. The findings suggest that grassed riparian buffer strips may not be effective in controlling diffuse nitrate pollution unless the hydrology of the strip allows a suitable environment for denitrification and/or plant uptake. Grassed buffer strips should be carefully targeted or, alternatively, engineered to ensure adequate residence time of solutes within the strip.

KW - Grassed buffer strip

KW - Nitrate removal

KW - Hydrology

KW - Headwater catchments

U2 - 10.1016/S0925-8574(98)00075-5

DO - 10.1016/S0925-8574(98)00075-5

M3 - Journal article

VL - 12

SP - 299

EP - 313

JO - Ecological Engineering

JF - Ecological Engineering

SN - 0925-8574

IS - 3-4

ER -