Nitrate transfer from land to freshwater bodies: Can we add a transfer control option to the source control approach?

Abstract

• Minimising nitrate leaching from agricultural land (‘source control’) is essential for environmental as well as economic reasons. • Source control has been favoured as it is usually the most effective option and is in the control of the individual land user. • However, not all leached nitrate inevitably contaminates groundwater and groundwater-fed surface water bodies. • Many groundwater systems exhibit some degree of assimilative capacity for nitrate, which attenuates the effect of root zone losses on receiving freshwater bodies (impact sites).