Microbial contamination of alluvial gravel aquifers by septic tank effluent

The effects of two methods of septic tank effluent disposal on the microbial quality of alluvial gravel aquifers were investigated at an experimental site in the Canterbury Plains, New Zealand. The movement of faecal coliform bacteria 9 m from a 5.5 m deep soakage pit into an unconfined aquifer, and 42 m from an 18 m deep injection bore into a confined aquifer was recorded. Partial sealing of the soakage pit sidewalls was evident, but approximately 80% of the effluent appeared to percolate rapidly into the unconfined groundwater through a permeable pathway in the unsaturated zone. There was evidence of groundwater mounding beneath the soakage pit and around the injection bore and the consequent radial spread of leachate from both disposal structures. In both the confined and unconfined aquifers, the most heavily contaminated bores exhibited marked diurnal fluctuations in faecal coliform concentrations in response to periods of effluent discharge. First arrival velocities of a rifampycin-resistantEscherichia coli tracer of approximately 15 m day^?1 in the unconfined groundwater and 151 m day^?1 in the confined groundwater were recorded. Implications of the findings for the monitoring and management of groundwater quality beneath unsewered communities on alluvial gravel formations are briefly discussed.     

Wellhead Protection Area Delineation Using the Analytic Element Method

Wellhead protection areas (WHPAs) were delineated around three water supply wells in Urmia Plain, Urmia City, Iran. WhAEM2000 (V.2.1.0) computer model based on the analytic element method was used and two years time of travel WHPAs were delineated for pumping wells drilled in the basin of Shahr-Chai River located in Urmia Plain. The steady-state flow was applied for unconfined aquifer. This feature included the main surface water features (rivers and lake), recharge rate due to precipitation, irrigation and periodical tributaries, and inhomogeneity to represent the western area of the plain, having different characteristics. The model was subsequently calibrated by means of the observed piezometric heads as test points. In confined aquifer the groundwater does not have interaction with the surface waters and no recharge penetrates into the aquifer. Hence, uniform flow was applied to create a new model. In confined model two parameters (hydraulic gradient and direction of the flow) were then evaluated using three points method. To overcome uncertainties related to the aquifer parameters and lack of sufficient piezometric data, the parameters sensitivity analysis and the hypothesis testing method were used and the final WHPAs were reasonably delineated for the wells. Results showed that the shapes of the WHPAs for wells in unconfined aquifer are longer and narrower than those in confined aquifer.     

Vulnerability of Coastal Aquifers Due to Nutrient Pollution from Agriculture: Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka

This study focuses on spatial and temporal nutrient pollution of groundwater in the unconfined sandy aquifers of Kalpitiya peninsula, Sri Lanka, where agricultural activities are intense. The study covers two consecutive dry and rainy seasons during the period from 2008 to 2010. Nitrate is the dominant nutrient pollutant in groundwater. The values of Nitrate-N contents ranged from 0.60 to 212.40 mg/L in the dry seasons and 0.20?C148.50 mg/L in rainy seasons. Phosphate in groundwater ranged from 0.20 to 5.70 mg/L in dry seasons and 0.04?C10.35 mg/L with few exceptions in rainy seasons. About 50% of the studied water samples had Nitrate-N concentrations above WHO drinking water guideline values both in dry and rainy periods. These high concentrations were recorded from wells in agricultural lands. Although there is a slight decrease in the Nitrate-N concentrations at random in rainy seasons, an increasing trend of average concentrations became evident over the study period as a whole, probably indicating building up of Nitrate-N in groundwater in the vegetable growing areas. The spatial distribution of Nitrate-N too shows a good match of high Nitrate-N bearing zones with vegetable cultivated areas indicating intensive leaching from application of excessive chemical fertilizers. High Nitrate-N zones also showed fairly steady lateral distribution indicating slow lateral mobility of Nitrate-rich groundwater probably due to low hydraulic gradients. Low phosphate concentrations in both groundwater and surface soils either indicates their less use in the area or that the available phosphate is leached and removed from the aquifer water and (sandy) soil solutions and probably adsorbed in clayey deeper horizons. Low concentrations of major cations (especially K, Ca, and Na) indicate less impact on cation concentrations in groundwater by the fertilizer application or sea water intrusions/up-coning.     

桑树坪井田地下水化学特征及矿井水的再生利用

简要介绍了桑树坪井田地质与水文地质概况,按地层的含水性将井田含水层划分为第四系砂砾石层孔隙潜水中等含水层组(H1)、二叠系砂岩裂隙承压弱含水层组(H2)、石炭系砂岩灰岩裂隙承压极弱含水层组(H3)和奥陶系石灰岩溶隙溶洞承压强含水层组(H4)等4种类型。在分析各含水层组水质特征及矿井水水化学特征的基础上,得出奥灰水是矿井水的主要补给来源;并针对该井田矿井水硬度大,矿化度、SO_4~(2-)含量高的水质特征,提出了以物理一物理化学方法为基础,以电渗析法为主的净化处理矿井水方法。     

The nature and management of saprolite aquifers in the wheatbelt of western Australia

Regional weathered-zone goundwaters in the southern part of Western Australia are primarily stored in a granular saprolite aquifer derived from the isovolumetric weathering of granitic and gneissic rocks. Recent drilling has confirmed the existence of permeable materials capable of yielding groundwater of a suitable quality for livestock. Development of supplies of 10 to 250 kl d⁻¹ is realisic and would complement local livestock, domestic and Government water supply systems. Wheatbelt aquifers currently supply 18 to 25 per cent of all water used for livestock in the agricultural areas of the southern part of Western Australia, although less than 1 per cent of the available resource is being utilized. Unused groundwater, artificially recharged by water-use inefficiencies of agricultural development, provides both a potential resource and a cause of soil and water quality deterioration. Groundwater pumping may provide one method of aquifer control to mitigate the influence of secondary salinization. Pumping the low transmissivity Wheatbelt aquifers provides a means to lower water-tables and limit the volume of groundwater reaching saline discharge areas at low points in the landscape. Unlike aquifer pumping systems developed in saline discharge areas, extraction systems in groundwater recharge areas, or in saline areas where groundwaters are of a suitable quality for agricultural use, can be used to mitigate salinity. The volume of groundwater available in southwestern Western Australia usually exceeds livestock requirements, to maintain low water-tables, the water has either to be pumped to suitable drainage systems or alternative uses must be sought.     

Selection of Tolerant Plants and Their Arrangement to Restore a Forest Ecosystem Damaged by Air Pollution

Wastewater and groundwater has been used for irrigation in the Valsequillo District, east central Mexico, for nearly 50 years. The environmental impact of wastewater on groundwater in the unconfined shallow aquifer is evaluated by means of hydrogeological, microbiological, hydrogeochemical and isotopic evidences. The shallow aquifer consists of upper Tertiary volcano-sedimentary rocks with a calcite-rich matrix. Groundwater from wells near the wastewater canal had similar total coliforms concentrations as the wastewater (～100 MPN 100 mL^-1). The hydraulic head in near-canal wells had a recovery of 10 m until 1983, indicating shallow recharge from wastewater. A bicarbonate vs. calcium plot shows a well-defined mixing process between wastewater and unaffected groundwater. Stable isotopic data (δD and δ¹⁸O) show characteristic signatures for wastewater and non-impacted groundwater, and define a mixing line between those end-members and groundwater affected by wastewater infiltration. Tritium data indicate that non-impacted groundwater is ‘pre-atomic hydrogen bomb’ (>50 yr), whereas the wastewater has a ‘younger’ signature. Tritium data from wells inside the district clearly indicate a mixing process between waste and groundwater. These results demonstrate the interaction and hydrochemical processes between wastewater and shallow groundwater at the site.     

华北农区浅层地下水硝酸盐分布特征及其空间差异性

华北平原地下水硝酸盐污染备受关注,然而受地貌类型、土地利用、土壤结构、含水层水文地质条件等因素差异性的影响,对区域尺度上农区浅层地下水硝酸盐污染程度和特征尚没有统一定论。本文通过综述过去华北平原地下水硝酸盐污染程度的相关研究,并结合近年来对华北平原农业种植区浅层地下水硝酸盐研究所取得的认识,指出补给源区(太行山低山丘陵区)、山前平原和低平原3个典型地貌类型区浅层地下水硝酸盐研究存在的问题:补给源区土地利用变化多样、土壤和含水层渗透性好,要重视对源区氮输入的控制,加强低山丘陵区气候变化对水文过程和氮迁移过程影响机制的研究;山前平原区是农业高产区,地下水埋深较深且包气带厚度大,较高的浅层地下水硝酸盐浓度除了与点源、污水渗漏以及污水灌溉等直接影响因素有关外,农田过量肥料施用对地下水硝酸盐影响的程度、水氮迁移路径以及未来潜在风险是农区地下水硝酸盐研究中亟需关注的问题;低平原区较细的土壤沉积结构减缓了氮向下迁移的速度,但地下水埋深较浅,二者的制约关系决定了地下水硝酸盐浓度,因此应在理解地表水-土壤-地下水转化关系的基础上评估地下水硝酸盐污染的风险。     

Review of Groundwater Pollution and Protection in Karst Areas

Karst groundwater (the water in a karst aquifer) is a major water resource in many regions of some countries. Water requirements for most of the settlements in the karstic regions are supplied from karst aquifers. Karst environments are also used for the disposal of liquid and solid domestic agricultural, and industrial wastes, which result in karst groundwater pollution. Karst aquifers have specific hydraulic and hydrogeologic characteristics that render them highly vulnerable to pollution from human activities. Karst groundwater becomes polluted more easily and in shorter time periods than water in non-karstic aquifers. Thus, protection measures are required to preserve the quality and quantity of karst groundwater that specifically consider the vulnerability of the karst environment. In order to preserve karst groundwater, the geological, hydrological and hydrogeological characteristics of the karst area must be investigated and information on polluting activities and sources must be collected. Then, a comprehensive protection and control system must be developed consisting of the following six components: (1) develop and implement a groundwater monitoring system, (2) establish critical protection zones, (3) develop proper land use strategies, (4) determine the reasonable development capacity of the karst aquifer, (5) control and eliminate when necessary sources of pollution, (6) increase public awareness of the value and vulnerability of karst aquifers.     

Impact of Fertilizer Application and Agricultural Crops on the Quality of Groundwater in the Alluvial Aquifer,Northern France

In France, the quality of water resources with respect to nitrates deteriorated between the beginning of 1970s and 2000s. A stabilization of the situation and of the improvements has been observed punctually since the 2000s. Despite the application of the Nitrates Directive in France (91/676/CEE), the overall situation remains degraded, with numerous increases in nitrate concentrations in the underground waters. In the North of France, an alluvial groundwater’s nitrate concentration exceeds the drinking water limit fixed at 50 mg/l, in the sectors of Catillon-sur-Sambre and Rejet-de-Beaulieu. In order to quantify and model the impact of agricultural nitrogen on groundwater, an approach based on an integrated model has been established using three specific codes for each lithological horizon: Agriflux (for the root zone), VS2DT (for the unsaturated zone), and ModFlow-MT3D (for the saturated zone). The results illustrate the sensitivity of quality to agricultural crops used. Based on scenarios over 20 years, the predictions show a link between nitrate concentrations in the groundwater and agricultural crops as well as fertilization. Improving quality with a concentration of nitrate less than 50 mg/l requires a reasoned management accompanied by rotations of crops and transformations into grasslands and for sensitive areas the use of the culture producing the least nitrogen flow such as beets. The integrated model constitutes an efficient tool for predicting the evolution of the groundwater quality, especially in sensitive areas like the valleys with a rapid nitrate transfer to the aquifer. The model makes it possible to correctly evaluate the concentrations of nitrates reaching the groundwater with a monitoring of the concentration evolution in each lithological horizon, thus constituting a good tool for the management of agricultural pollution.     

Groundwater Pollution in a Karstic Region (NE Yucatan): Baseline Nutrient Content and Flux to Coastal Ecosystems

The quality of groundwater is threatened in karstic regions with very high population growth, such as the eastern coast of Yucatan. As polluted groundwater flows towards the ocean, coastal ecosystems and coral reefs may also be affected. Pollution and the interaction between the coastal aquifer and the reef lagoon were assessed at a developing area (Puerto Morelos, NE Yucatan Peninsula) within the Mesoamerican Coral Reef System. Coastal environments along the land?Csea gradient (wells, mangroves, beaches, submarine springs, the reef lagoon, and the open sea) were sampled. Silicate and salinity were used as tracers of groundwater and seawater, respectively. Their patterns evidence water flow and mixing among these coastal environments. High nitrate concentrations (268.6 ??M) and coliform bacteria densities indicate groundwater pollution in most of the wells sampled and also in mangroves, beaches, and submarine springs. Phosphorous content peaks (14.2 ??M) in mangroves, where it is likely released due to reducing conditions in the sediments. Nitrogen flux toward the lagoon reef through groundwater discharge is estimated at 2.4 ton N km^?1 year^?1 and phosphorous at 75 to 217 kg P km^?1 year^?1. These results provide evidence of the need for more detailed groundwater studies and for the integrated management of aquifers and coastal ecosystems in karstic regions.     

Longtime effects of deep groundwater extraction management on water table levels in surface aquifers

Purpose

A longtime monitoring (2003–2013) of groundwater levels and soil moisture was done in a plain tract surrounded by deposits from the Saale glacial stage in northern Germany. The purpose was to document the changes in the soil water regime over time in relation to changes in management of groundwater extraction and to evaluate if the hitherto management has been suitable for plant water supply for the local grassland production.

Materials and methods

Groundwater wells in the surface aquifer were monitored at 11 survey sites, and soil matric potentials were measured with tensiometers at five depths per site. Soil analyses also were done. This report contains the results from three of the 11 survey sites, which best represent the variability of the soils in the area.

Results and discussion

The monitoring showed that groundwater extraction from deep aquifers via individual wells altered the groundwater levels in the surface aquifer, even though there was a distance of several meters depth and a geological parting between the two aquifers. The impact of the groundwater extraction was shown by significant correlations between groundwater levels in the surveyed soils and groundwater extraction rates of individual wells. Climatic factors only affected groundwater levels in individual years. The management of the groundwater extraction from 1977 to 2006 severely lowered the groundwater level in the surface aquifer. Due to a limitation of the groundwater extraction rates and a shift in the degree of capacity utilization of the individual wells from 2006 onward, groundwater levels in the area are recovering. Correspondingly, the contribution of capillary rise to plant water supply has increased within the monitoring period.

Conclusions

The monitoring proves that the present management of groundwater extraction is more suitable for the groundwater situation than past management. However, groundwater levels have not yet obtained a new equilibrium, so continual monitoring is needed.

     

Areal identification of groundwater nitrate contamination sources in periurban areas

Background, Aims and Scope  The purpose of this study is to verify a method for groundwater contamination risk assessment in urban and periurban areas using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The method is based on agricultural hazard evaluation. In urban and periurban areas, the problem of dealing with NO₃ concentrations mainly entails identifying nitrate sources from the excessive use of fertilizers, or leaks from the sewage network and old septic systems. Residential areas coexisting with farming, and high and increasing nitrate concentrations, were identified in a densely inhabited area (>2 million inhabitants in about 1,000 km²) with an alluvial aquifer, located in southern Italy. Methods  First of all, comparison between the Contamination Vulnerability Map and the distribution of NO₃ concentrations highlights anomalous areas with low or moderate vulnerability in spite of the diffuse nitrate contamination of the aquifer. Assuming the agricultural origin of the nitrates, the hazard is calculated using the ANHI (Agricultural Nitrate Hazard Index), a parametric index which assesses the potential hazard of nitrate contamination originating from agriculture on a regional scale (Padovani and Trevisan 2002). The ANHI integrates two categories of parameters: the hazard factors (HF), which represent all farming activities that cause, or might cause, an impact on soil quality in terms of nitrate (use of fertilizers, application of livestock and poultry manure, food industry wastewater and urban sludge), and the control factors (CF) which adapt the hazard factors to the characteristics of the site (geographical location, climatic conditions and agronomic practices). Organization, processing and mapping are performed using a Geographical Information System (GIS: ILWIS 3.3 and ARCGIS 9.1). Results  The ANHI Map is obtained by multiplying the hazard factors (HF) and the control factors (CF), and dividing the resulting values into 6 classes. Finally, the Potential risk Map (R) is obtained by coupling the potential hazard of nitrate pollution (ANHI) and the aquifer Contamination Vulnerability Map. Discussion  By using spatial statistics, the Potential Agricultural Nitrate Contamination Risk Map and the Nitrate content of the aquifer correlation can be correlated. Where areas with low correlation in the Land Use Map are in the ‘urban areas and artificial land’ class, the source of the groundwater nitrate is not necessarily related to intensive farming and livestock. Conclusions  The Potential Agricultural Nitrate Contamination Risk Map in urban and periurban environments indicates the relationship between the high nitrate values and land use, giving useful information about the source of nitrate in groundwater. Recommendations and Perspectives  Based on this study, we formulate a hypothesis on the source of groundwater nitrate which should be verified on several case studies using nitrogen isotope techniques.     

复合井修复地下水硝酸盐污染的效果

为探寻更适用于农田周边硝酸盐污染地下水的原位生物修复技术,该研究构建了A、B、C3套试验装置,分别刻画管井(A)、大口井与管井组成的复合井(B、C)。基于3套物理试验模型,定量对比分析了管井与复合井修复地下水硝酸盐污染的效果。结果表明:受水力停留时间的影响,相同流速条件下,A、B、C三套修复系统的硝酸盐负荷分别介于75～100、100～125、125～150 mg/L之间;在允许硝酸盐负荷范围内,去除率均可达到95%以上,且不会出现亚硝酸盐累积及氨氮超标现象,表明了复合井修复系统的可行性,可以实现地下水开采与修复同步进行,提高了地下水水源地供水安全保证率。     

Nitrate and chloride loadings as anthropogenic indicators

Agricultural, urban, forest and groundwater protection areas as well as nitrate and chloride concentrations are documented in maps. Areal distribution shows regionally elevated nitrate and chloride concentrations in connection with urban areas and agricultural use. Transport of nitrate and chloride tends to be conservative in the groundwater of the investigated area. Therefore, the elevated concentrations of these anions are suitable as indicators of anthropogenic impact on the groundwater. The average concentration of nitrate and chloride from all surveyed wells amounts to 26 and 17 mg L^?1, respectively. It is shown that wells recharged through forests have lower nitrate and chloride concentrations (average: 21 and 13 mg L^?1, respectively). Wells affected by waste deposits have an average nitrate concentration of 35 mg L^?1 and chloride concentration of 24 mg L^?1. Urban use results in an average value of 28 mg L^?1 nitrate and 24 mg L^?1 chloride. As nitrate and chloride concentrations are stable with respect to the depth of the groundwater table, degradation processes or other protective effects of the unsaturated zone can be omitted.     

Faecal Indicator Bacteria: Groundwater Dynamics and Transport Following Precipitation and River Water Infiltration

Faecal contamination of drinking water extracted from alluvial aquifers can lead to severe problems. River water infiltration can be a hazard for extraction wells located nearby, especially during high discharge events. The high dimensionality of river?Cgroundwater interaction and the many factors affecting bacterial survival and transport in groundwater make a simple assessment of actual water quality difficult. The identification of proxy indicators for river water infiltration and bacterial contamination is an important step in managing groundwater resources and hazard assessment. The time resolution of microbial monitoring studies is often too low to establish this relationship. A proxy-based approach in such highly dynamic systems requires in-depth knowledge of the relationship between the variable of interest, e.g. river water infiltration, and its proxy indicator. In this study, continuously recorded physico-chemical parameters (temperature, electrical conductivity, turbidity, spectral absorption coefficient, particle density) were compared to the counts for faecal indicator bacteria, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus sp. obtained from intermittent sampling. Sampling for faecal indicator bacteria was conducted on two temporal scales: (a) routine bi-weekly monitoring over a month and (b) intense (bi-hourly) event-based sampling over 3 days triggered by a high discharge event. Both sampling set-ups showed that the highest bacterial concentrations occurred in the river. E. coli and Enterococcus sp. concentrations decreased with time and length of flow path in the aquifer. The event-based sampling was able to demonstrate differences in bacterial removal between clusters of observation wells linked to aquifer composition. Although no individual proxy indicator for bacterial contamination could be established, it was shown that a combined approach based on time-series of physico-chemical parameters could be used to assess river water infiltration as a hazard for drinking water quality management.     

Field and modelling studies to assess the risk to UK groundwater from earth-based stores for livestock manure

Abstract. Boreholes have been constructed at eight sites on the Permo-Triassic Sandstone and Chalk aquifers to assess the extent of chemical and microbiological contamination emanating from unlined farm manure stores. Slurry along fracture faces in the Chalk was found on cores taken from beneath two stores. Porewaters from the Chalk sites and one of the Sandstone sites were discoloured and showed high concentrations of nitrate, ammonium and organic carbon to depths in excess of 10 m. Although Cryptosporidia and Escherichia coli O157 were found in many of the cattle slurry lagoons, neither were found in the aquifer material beneath. The self-sealing of unlined slurry stores is seen as a crucial step in minimizing leakage. A simple mass balance shows farm boreholes near to contaminant sources are at greater risk than public supply wells. Contaminant modelling shows discontinuing use of an unlined farm manure store will lead to little difference in solute concentrations over the short to medium term. Groundwater is most at risk where the water table is shallow since direct hydraulic connection between the lagoon base and the water table considerably increases the rate of vertical migration. This is of greatest significance for pathogens that are thought to be relatively short lived in the subsurface. Under the majority of situations minimal threat is posed to potable groundwater drinking supplies.     

Hydrogeochemical Characteristics of Processes in the Temara Aquifer in Northwestern Morocco

The physico-chemical characteristics of the groundwater of the Temara aquifer were studied by means of piezometric mapping and determination of the ionic composition of the groundwater. In general, the agricultural activity is intense in the area, with water being pumped from numerous wells. Two aquifer formations can be distinguished which, over a wide area, are separated by layers of low permeability. The increased salinity at some points of the coastal zone is probably linked to the combined action of the washing out of Miocene marls, dissolution of carbonate rocks, agricultural pollution and seawater intrusion.     

Mechanisms of Nitrate Transfer from Soil to Stream in an Agricultural Watershed of French Brittany

In French Brittany, water pollution with nitrate due tointensive agriculture has become one of the major environmentalconcerns. In this article, the nitrate, sulfate and chlorideconcentrations from the groundwater and the stream of a first-order agricultural watershed, are analyzed to infer the mechanisms responsible for the distribution and transfer of nitrate within the watershed. The aquifer is constituted by three layers: the thin soil cover, the weathered shale and thefissured shale. The weathered shale groundwater appears to bea large reservoir of nitrate in the watershed. Indeed the amount of nitrate is estimated at about 450 kg N ha^-1, 5 to 9 times the total annual nitrate flux in the stream. In the upslope zones, this groundwater exhibited high nitrate concentrations (up to 138.4±10.5 mg NO₃ ^- L^-1), which decreased along the flow paths towards the stream (77.1±13.8 mg NO₃ ^- L^-1). Unlike nitrate, sulfate concentrations showed an increase from uphillto downhill (from 6.1±0.8 to 12.5±5.4 mg SO₄ ^2- L^-1) with little change in chloride concentrations. These patterns are presumed to result from upward flows from fissured shale groundwater where denitrification by oxidation of pyrite occurs with sulfate as end product. A scheme of nitrate transfer is proposed where stream discharge would result from the mixing of three end members which are: uphill weathered groundwater, deep groundwater and water in the uppermost soil horizons ofthe bottomlands. Temporal variability of nitrate concentrationsin base flow reflects changes in the relative contribution of each end member.     

基于调控适宜性区域评价的红崖山灌区地下水位动态预测

红崖山灌区位于中国典型干旱内陆区石羊河流域下游,当地地下水的过度开采已引起地下水位持续下降、生态环境严重恶化。2006—2010年期间,红崖山灌区实施了"关井压田"等相关治理措施,并于2010年开始对青土湖进行生态泄水,用水环境随之发生变化。该文运用GIS技术和FEFLOW软件,基于2011—2012年观测数据构建了红崖山灌区潜水三维数值模型;基于井群调控原则,对研究区进行调控适宜性区域评价,在此基础上以地下水开采量为基准设置了若干调控方案;利用构建的地下水数值模型对现状条件和各种调控方案下20 a内地下水动态变化进行了预测。结果表明:现状用水条件下,当地地下水位依然整体以低降幅持续下降,地下水降落漏斗进一步扩大;水量的削减能让地下水位下降趋势得到有效的遏制并修复地下水降落漏斗;依据评价值大小确定限釆比例的方案比全区域均匀比例限采方案能更有针对性地回升地下水位、修复地下水降落漏斗,且调控井数更少。     

Impact on Water Quality of High and Low Density Applications of Spent Mushroom Substrate to Agricultural Lands

We studied the influence of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) land application on water resources. Four study sites, including mushroom farms with low or high density land applications of SMS, and two controls, an alfalfa field and a woodland, were instrumented with soilwater lysimeters and groundwater monitoring wells. Water samples were collected during the dormant season (winter) and growing season (spring). Samples were analyzed for a number of water quality parameters, including dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), ammonia, chloride, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, sulfate, aluminum, cadmium, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, mercury, nickel, potassium, silicon, sodium, and zinc. Additional analyses were performed for pesticides commonly used in the cultivation of alfalfa or corn, or for insect control, including methomyl, dimethoate, hexazinone, atrazine, diuron and permethrin.

All agricultural sites had elevated salt concentrations relative to the woodland site. The mushroom farm where SMS was applied in high concentrations had salt concentrations in the soilwater that were 10 to 100 times higher than the other agricultural sites. Of particular note were ammonium, nitrate, chloride, sulfate, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. Each of these were also elevated in the groundwater. The high salt concentrations were reflected in measurements of electrical conductivity. DOC and DON concentrations were also elevated in the soilwater and groundwater. Groundwater from each agricultural site, including the agricultural control, exceeded the primary drinking water standard for nitrate.

No pesticide residues were detected in well or lysimeter water collected at either site amended with SMS. Water samples collected from the woodland and at the alfalfa field not receiving SMS contained part per trillion quantities of a few pesticides.