Relationship between nitrogen and phosphate surplus from agricultural production and river water quality in two types of production structure

Abstract

We examined the relationship between nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P₂O₅) surplus derived from agriculture and river water quality. We selected two river basins; one was a paddy farming area (Omoigawa) and the other was an intensive livestock husbandry area (Nakagawa). Nitrogen and P₂O₅ surpluses, defined as the difference between their input and output on regional farmland, from farmland in Omoigawa were twice those of Nakagawa; the surpluses came mainly from chemical fertilizer use. Although N and P₂O₅ surpluses in Nakagawa were lower, Nakagawa had a large amount of non-utilized livestock excreta, twice the N surplus on farmland in Nakagawa. Residual N and P₂O₅ in the river basin, caused by surplus and non-utilized livestock excreta, were approximately 20% and 40%, respectively, higher in Nakagawa than in Omoigawa. Outflows of N and P₂O₅ to river water were higher in Omoigawa than Nakagawa. By excluding domestic sewage N and P₂O₅ in river water, we calculated the loads of non-point source N and P₂O₅. Non-point source N and P₂O₅ were higher in Omoigawa than Nakagawa. This inverse result might be caused by the different source of residual N (i.e. chemical N fertilizer or livestock excreta).