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Analysis of Runoff and Sediment Losses from a Sloped Roadbed under Variable Rainfall Intensities and Vegetation Conditions. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12052077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Vegetation plays an important role in reducing soil erosion. By exploring the allocation and coverage of different types of vegetation, we can improve management practices that can significantly reduce soil erosion. In this experiment, we study runoff and sediment losses on a shrub-grass planted, grass planted, and bare slope under different rainfall intensities. Results showed that the runoff generation time for the three subgrade types decreased as rainfall intensity increased (p < 0.05). The slopes planted with either grass or shrub-grass were able to effectively delay runoff generation. As rainfall intensity increased, the runoff amount increased for all treatments, with runoff in the bare slope increasing the most. The runoff reduction rate from the shrub-grass slope ranged from 54.20% to 63.68%, while the reduction rate from the slope only planted with grass ranged from 38.59% to 55.37%. The sediment yield from the bare slope increased from 662.66 g/m2 (15 mm/h) to 2002.95 g/m2 (82 mm/h) with increasing rainfall intensity in the plot. When compared with the bare slope, both the shrub-grass and planted grass slopes were able to retain an additional 0.9 g/m2 to 4.9 g/m2 of sediment, respectively. An accurate relationship between rainfall intensity, sloped vegetation types, and runoff reduction rate was obtained by regression analysis and validated. These results can provide a reference for improving soil and water conservation via improved vegetation allocation on a sloped roadbed.
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Cooper RJ, Battams ZM, Pearl SH, Hiscock KM. Mitigating river sediment enrichment through the construction of roadside wetlands. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 231:146-154. [PMID: 30340134 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Metalled roads have been shown to act as a major pathway for land-to-river sediment transfer, but there currently exists limited research into mitigation solutions to tackle this pollution source. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of three roadside constructed wetlands, installed in September 2016, at reducing sediment enrichment in a tributary of the River Wensum, UK. Two wetland designs were trialled (linear and 'U-shaped'), both of which act as settling ponds to encourage entrained sediment to fall out of suspension and allow cleaner water to discharge into the river. Wetland efficiency was monitored through automated, high-resolution (30 min) turbidity probes installed upstream and downstream of the wetlands, providing a near-continuous record of river turbidity before (October 2011-August 2016) and after (November 2016-February 2018) installation. This was supplemented by lower resolution monitoring of the wetland inflows and outflows, as well as an assessment of sediment and nutrient accumulation rates within the linear wetland. Results revealed median river sediment concentrations decreased up to 14% after wetland construction and sediment load decreased by up to 82%, although this was largely driven by low river discharge post-installation. Median sediment concentrations discharging from the linear wetland (7.2 mg L-1) were higher than the U-shaped wetland (3.9 mg L-1), confirming that a longer flow pathway through wetlands can improve sediment retention efficiency. After 12 months of operation, the linear wetland had retained 7253 kg (305 kg ha-1 y-1) of sediment, 11.6 kg (0.5 kg ha-1 y-1) of total phosphorus, 29.7 kg (1.3 kg ha-1 y-1) of total nitrogen and 400 kg (17 kg ha-1 y-1) of organic carbon. This translates into mitigated pollutant damage costs of £392 for sediment, £148 for phosphorus and £13 for nitrogen, thus giving a combined total mitigated damage cost of £553 y-1. With the linear wetland costing £3411 to install and £145-182 y-1 to maintain, this roadside constructed wetland has an estimated payback time of 8 years, making it a cost-effective pollution mitigation measure for tackling sediment-enriched road runoff that could be widely adopted at the catchment-scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Cooper
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Zachary M Battams
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Sally H Pearl
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Kevin M Hiscock
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7TJ, UK
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Puttock A, Graham HA, Carless D, Brazier RE. Sediment and nutrient storage in a beaver engineered wetland. EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS 2018; 43:2358-2370. [PMID: 30333676 PMCID: PMC6175133 DOI: 10.1002/esp.4398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Revised: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Beavers, primarily through the building of dams, can deliver significant geomorphic modifications and result in changes to nutrient and sediment fluxes. Research is required to understand the implications and possible benefits of widespread beaver reintroduction across Europe. This study surveyed sediment depth, extent and carbon/nitrogen content in a sequence of beaver pond and dam structures in South West England, where a pair of Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber) were introduced to a controlled 1.8 ha site in 2011. Results showed that the 13 beaver ponds subsequently created hold a total of 101.53 ± 16.24 t of sediment, equating to a normalised average of 71.40 ± 39.65 kg m2. The ponds also hold 15.90 ± 2.50 t of carbon and 0.91 ± 0.15 t of nitrogen within the accumulated pond sediment. The size of beaver pond appeared to be the main control over sediment storage, with larger ponds holding a greater mass of sediment per unit area. Furthermore, position within the site appeared to play a role with the upper-middle ponds, nearest to the intensively-farmed headwaters of the catchment, holding a greater amount of sediment. Carbon and nitrogen concentrations in ponds showed no clear trends, but were significantly higher than in stream bed sediment upstream of the site. We estimate that >70% of sediment in the ponds is sourced from the intensively managed grassland catchment upstream, with the remainder from in situ redistribution by beaver activity. While further research is required into the long-term storage and nutrient cycling within beaver ponds, results indicate that beaver ponds may help to mitigate the negative off-site impacts of accelerated soil erosion and diffuse pollution from agriculturally dominated landscapes such as the intensively managed grassland in this study. © 2018 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Collins AL, Newell Price JP, Zhang Y, Gooday R, Naden PS, Skirvin D. Assessing the potential impacts of a revised set of on-farm nutrient and sediment 'basic' control measures for reducing agricultural diffuse pollution across England. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 621:1499-1511. [PMID: 29054654 PMCID: PMC5805857 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.10.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
The need for improved abatement of agricultural diffuse water pollution represents cause for concern throughout the world. A critical aspect in the design of on-farm intervention programmes concerns the potential technical cost-effectiveness of packages of control measures. The European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive (WFD) calls for Programmes of Measures (PoMs) to protect freshwater environments and these comprise 'basic' (mandatory) and 'supplementary' (incentivised) options. Recent work has used measure review, elicitation of stakeholder attitudes and a process-based modelling framework to identify a new alternative set of 'basic' agricultural sector control measures for nutrient and sediment abatement across England. Following an initial scientific review of 708 measures, 90 were identified for further consideration at an industry workshop and 63 had industry support. Optimisation modelling was undertaken to identify a shortlist of measures using the Demonstration Test Catchments as sentinel agricultural landscapes. Optimisation selected 12 measures relevant to livestock or arable systems. Model simulations of 95% implementation of these 12 candidate 'basic' measures, in addition to business-as-usual, suggested reductions in the national agricultural nitrate load of 2.5%, whilst corresponding reductions in phosphorus and sediment were 11.9% and 5.6%, respectively. The total cost of applying the candidate 'basic' measures across the whole of England was estimated to be £450 million per annum, which is equivalent to £52 per hectare of agricultural land. This work contributed to a public consultation in 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- A L Collins
- Sustainable Agriculture Sciences Department, Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB, UK.
| | - J P Newell Price
- ADAS, Gleadthorpe, Meden Vale, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG20 9PD, UK
| | - Y Zhang
- Sustainable Agriculture Sciences Department, Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB, UK
| | - R Gooday
- ADAS, Titan 1 Offices, Coxwell Avenue, Wolverhampton Science Park, Wolverhampton WV10 9RT, UK
| | - P S Naden
- CEH Wallingford, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK
| | - D Skirvin
- ADAS, Titan 1 Offices, Coxwell Avenue, Wolverhampton Science Park, Wolverhampton WV10 9RT, UK
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Habibiandehkordi R, Quinton JN, Surridge BWJ. Long-term effects of drinking-water treatment residuals on dissolved phosphorus export from vegetated buffer strips. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 22:6068-6076. [PMID: 25388559 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-3802-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2014] [Accepted: 11/02/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The export of dissolved phosphorus (P) in surface runoff from agricultural land can lead to water quality degradation. Surface application of aluminium (Al)-based water treatment residuals (Al-WTRs) to vegetated buffer strip (VBS) soils can enhance P removal from surface runoff during single runoff events. However, the longer-term effects on P removal in VBSs following application of products such as Al-WTR remain uncertain. We used field experimental plots to examine the long-term effects of applying a freshly generated Al-WTR to VBSs on dissolved P export during multiple runoff events, occurring between 1 day and 42 weeks after the application of Al-WTR. Vegetated buffer strip plots amended with Al-WTR significantly reduced soluble reactive P and total dissolved P concentrations in surface runoff compared to both unamended VBS plots and control plots. However, the effectiveness of Al-WTR decreased over time, by approximately 70% after 42 weeks compared to a day following Al-WTR application. Reduced performance did not appear to be due to drying of Al-WTR in the field. Instead, the development of preferential flow paths as well as burying of Al-WTR with freshly deposited sediments may explain these observations. Better understanding of the processes controlling long-term P removal by Al-WTR is required for effective management of VBSs.
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Peukert S, Griffith BA, Murray PJ, Macleod CJA, Brazier RE. Intensive management in grasslands causes diffuse water pollution at the farm scale. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 2014; 43:2009-2023. [PMID: 25602218 DOI: 10.2134/jeq2014.04.0193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Arable land use is generally assumed to be the largest contributor to agricultural diffuse pollution. This study adds to the growing evidence that conventional temperate intensively managed lowland grasslands contribute significantly to soil erosion and diffuse pollution rates. This is the first grassland study to monitor hydrological characteristics and multiple pollutant fluxes (suspended sediment [SS] and the macronutrients: total oxidized nitrogen-N [TON], total phosphorus [TP], and total carbon [TC]) at high temporal resolution (monitoring up to every 15 min) over 1 yr. Monitoring was conducted across three fields (6.5-7.5 ha) on the North Wyke Farm Platform, UK. The estimated annual erosion rates (up to 527.4 kg ha), TP losses (up to 0.9 kg ha), and TC losses (up to 179 kg ha) were similar to or exceeded the losses reported for other grassland, mixed land-use, and arable sites. Annual yields of TON (up to 3 kg ha) were less than arable land-use fluxes and earlier grassland N studies, an important result as the study site is situated within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone. The high-resolution monitoring allowed detailed "system's functioning" understanding of hydrological processes, mobilization- transport pathways of individual pollutants, and the changes of the relative importance of diffuse pollutants through flow conditions and time. Suspended sediment and TP concentrations frequently exceeded water quality guidelines recommended by the European Freshwater Fisheries Directive (25 mg L) and the European Water Framework Directive (0.04 mg soluble reactive P L), suggesting that intensively managed grasslands pose a significant threat to receiving surface waters. Such sediment and nutrient losses from intensively managed grasslands should be acknowledged in land management guidelines and advice for future compliance with surface water quality standards.
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Ockenden MC, Quinton JN, Favaretto N, Deasy C, Surridge B. Reduced nutrient pollution in a rural stream following septic tank upgrade and installation of runoff retention measures. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2014; 16:1637-1645. [PMID: 24686791 DOI: 10.1039/c3em00681f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Surface water quality in the UK and much of Western Europe has improved in recent decades, in response to better point source controls and the regulation of fertilizer, manure and slurry use. However, diffuse sources of pollution, such as leaching or runoff of nutrients from agricultural fields, and micro-point sources including farmyards, manure heaps and septic tank sewerage systems, particularly systems without soil adsorption beds, are now hypothesised to contribute a significant proportion of the nutrients delivered to surface watercourses. Tackling such sources in an integrated manner is vital, if improvements in freshwater quality are to continue. In this research, we consider the combined effect of constructing small field wetlands and improving a septic tank system on stream water quality within an agricultural catchment in Cumbria, UK. Water quality in the ditch-wetland system was monitored by manual sampling at fortnightly intervals (April-October 2011 and February-October 2012), with the septic tank improvement taking place in February 2012. Reductions in nutrient concentrations were observed through the catchment, by up to 60% when considering total phosphorus (TP) entering and leaving a wetland with a long residence time. Average fluxes of TP, soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and ammonium-N (NH4-N) at the head of the ditch system in 2011 (before septic tank improvement) compared to 2012 (after septic tank improvement) were reduced by 28%, 9% and 37% respectively. However, TP concentration data continue to show a clear dilution with increasing flow, indicating that the system remained point source dominated even after the septic tank improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C Ockenden
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK.
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Ockenden MC, Deasy C, Quinton JN, Surridge B, Stoate C. Keeping agricultural soil out of rivers: evidence of sediment and nutrient accumulation within field wetlands in the UK. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2014; 135:54-62. [PMID: 24509365 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2014.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2013] [Revised: 01/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Intensification of agriculture has resulted in increased soil degradation and erosion, with associated pollution of surface waters. Small field wetlands, constructed along runoff pathways, offer one option for slowing down and storing runoff in order to allow more time for sedimentation and for nutrients to be taken up by plants or micro-organisms. This paper describes research to provide quantitative evidence for the effectiveness of small field wetlands in the UK landscape. Ten wetlands were built on four farms in Cumbria and Leicestershire, UK. Annual surveys of sediment and nutrient accumulation in 2010, 2011 and 2012 indicated that most sediment was trapped at a sandy site (70 tonnes over 3 years), compared to a silty site (40 tonnes over 3 years) and a clay site (2 tonnes over 3 years). The timing of rainfall was more important than total annual rainfall for sediment accumulation, with most sediment transported in a few intense rainfall events, especially when these coincided with bare soil or poor crop cover. Nutrient concentration within sediments was inversely related to median particle size, but the total mass of nutrients trapped was dependent on the total mass of sediment trapped. Ratios of nutrient elements in the wetland sediments were consistent between sites, despite different catchment characteristics across the individual wetlands. The nutrient value of sediment collected from the wetlands was similar to that of soil in the surrounding fields; dredged sediment was considered to have value as soil replacement but not as fertiliser. Overall, small field wetlands can make a valuable contribution to keeping soil out of rivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary C Ockenden
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK.
| | - Clare Deasy
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - John N Quinton
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - Ben Surridge
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - Chris Stoate
- Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, Loddington House, Main Street, Loddington, Leicestershire LE7 9XE, UK
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Schoumans OF, Chardon WJ, Bechmann ME, Gascuel-Odoux C, Hofman G, Kronvang B, Rubæk GH, Ulén B, Dorioz JM. Mitigation options to reduce phosphorus losses from the agricultural sector and improve surface water quality: a review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2014; 468-469:1255-66. [PMID: 24060142 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.08.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2012] [Revised: 08/14/2013] [Accepted: 08/20/2013] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) obliges Member States to improve the quality of surface water and groundwater. The measures implemented to date have reduced the contribution of point sources of pollution, and hence diffuse pollution from agriculture has become more important. In many catchments the water quality remains poor. COST Action 869 was an EU initiative to improve surface water quality that ran from 2006 to 2011, in which 30 countries participated. Its main aim was a scientific evaluation of the suitability and cost-effectiveness of options for reducing nutrient loss from rural areas to surface waters at catchment scale, including the feasibility of the options under different climatic and geographical conditions. This paper gives an overview of various categories of mitigation options in relation to phosphorus (P). The individual measures are described in terms of their mode of action, applicability, effectiveness, time frame, environmental side-effects (N cycling) and cost. In total, 83 measures were evaluated in COST Action 869.
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Affiliation(s)
- O F Schoumans
- Alterra Wageningen UR, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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Rickson RJ. Can control of soil erosion mitigate water pollution by sediments? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2014; 468-469:1187-1197. [PMID: 23815978 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.05.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2012] [Revised: 05/09/2013] [Accepted: 05/19/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The detrimental impact of sediment and associated pollutants on water quality is widely acknowledged, with many watercourses in the UK failing to meet the standard of 'good ecological status'. Catchment sediment budgets show that hill slope erosion processes can be significant sources of waterborne sediment, with rates of erosion likely to increase given predicted future weather patterns. However, linking on-site erosion rates with off-site impacts is complicated because of the limited data on soil erosion rates in the UK and the dynamic nature of the source-pathway-receptor continuum over space and time. Even so, soil erosion control measures are designed to reduce sediment production (source) and mobilisation/transport (pathway) on hill slopes, with consequent mitigation of pollution incidents in watercourses (receptors). The purpose of this paper is to review the scientific evidence of the effectiveness of erosion control measures used in the UK to reduce sediment loads of hill slope origin in watercourses. Although over 73 soil erosion mitigation measures have been identified from the literature, empirical data on erosion control effectiveness are limited. Baseline comparisons for the 18 measures where data do exist reveal erosion control effectiveness is highly variable over time and between study locations. Given the limitations of the evidence base in terms of geographical coverage and duration of monitoring, performance of the different measures cannot be extrapolated to other areas. This uncertainty in effectiveness has implications for implementing erosion/sediment risk reduction policies, where quantified targets are stipulated, as is the case in the EU Freshwater Fish and draft Soil Framework Directives. Also, demonstrating technical effectiveness of erosion control measures alone will not encourage uptake by land managers: quantifying the costs and benefits of adopting erosion mitigation is equally important, but these are uncertain and difficult to express in monetary terms.
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Affiliation(s)
- R J Rickson
- National Soil Resources Institute, Department of Environmental Science and Technology, School of Applied Sciences, Cranfield University, MK43 0AL, United Kingdom.
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Deasy C, Titman A, Quinton JN. Measurement of flood peak effects as a result of soil and land management, with focus on experimental issues and scale. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2014; 132:304-312. [PMID: 24325823 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2013.11.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2013] [Revised: 11/11/2013] [Accepted: 11/13/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
As a result of several serious flood events which have occurred since 2000, flooding across Europe is now receiving considerable public and media attention. The impact of land use on hydrology and flood response is significantly under-researched, and the links between land use change and flooding are still unclear. This study considers runoff data available from studies of arable in-field land use management options, applied with the aim of reducing diffuse pollution from arable land, in order to investigate whether these treatments also have potential to reduce downstream flooding. Intensive monitoring of 17 hillslope treatment areas produced a record of flood peak data covering different mitigation treatments for runoff which occurred in the winter of 2007-2008. We investigated event total runoff responses to rainfall, peak runoff, and timing of the runoff peaks from replicates of different treatments, in order to assess whether there is a significant difference in flood peak response between different mitigation options which could be used to mitigate downstream flood risk. A mixed-modelling approach was adopted in order to determine whether differences observed in runoff response were significant. The results of this study suggest that changes in land use management using arable in-field mitigation treatments can affect local-scale runoff generation, with differences observed in the size, duration and timing of flood peaks as a result of different management practices, but the study was unable to allow significant treatment effects to be determined. We suggest that further field studies of the effects of changes in land use and land use management need to upscale towards farm and catchment scale experiments which consider high quality before-and-after data over longer temporal timescales. This type of data collection is essential in order to allow appropriate land use management decisions to be made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare Deasy
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK.
| | - Andrew Titman
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - John N Quinton
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK.
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Laloy E, Bielders CL. Effect of intercropping period management on runoff and erosion in a maize cropping system. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 2010; 39:1001-1008. [PMID: 20400595 DOI: 10.2134/jeq2009.0239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The management of winter cover crops is likely to influence their performance in reducing runoff and erosion during the intercropping period that precedes spring crops but also during the subsequent spring crop. This study investigated the impact of two dates of destruction and burial of a rye (Secale cereale L.) and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) cover crop on runoff and erosion, focusing on a continuous silage maize (Zea mays L.) cropping system. Thirty erosion plots with various intercrop management options were monitored for 3 yr at two sites. During the intercropping period, cover crops reduced runoff and erosion by more than 94% compared with untilled, post-maize harvest plots. Rough tillage after maize harvest proved equally effective as a late sown cover crop. There was no effect of cover crop destruction and burial dates on runoff and erosion during the intercropping period, probably because rough tillage for cover crop burial compensates for the lack of soil cover. During two of the monitored maize seasons, it was observed that plots that had been covered during the previous intercropping period lost 40 to 90% less soil compared with maize plots that had been left bare during the intercropping period. The burial of an aboveground cover crop biomass in excess of 1.5 t ha(-1) was a necessary, yet not always sufficient, condition to induce a residual effect. Because of the possible beneficial residual effect of cover crop burial on erosion reduction, the sowing of a cover crop should be preferred over rough tillage after maize harvest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Laloy
- Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
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