Agricultural Drainage Effects on Water Quality in Southeastern U.S

• Published in: Journal of irrigation and drainage engineering 1995-07, Vol.121 (4), p.277-282
• Main Authors: Thomas, Daniel L, Perry, Calvin D, Evans, Robert O, Izuno, Forrest T, Stone, Kenneth C, Wendell Gilliam, J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AGRICULTURAL LAND; AGUA DE DRENAJE; AGUA SUPERFICIAL; atlantic coastal plain; AZOTE; CALIDAD DEL AGUA; CAROLINA DEL NORTE; CAROLINA DEL SUR; CAROLINE DU NORD; CAROLINE DU SUD; COARSE TEXTURED SOILS; Crops; DRAINAGE DE SURFACE; DRAINAGE SOUTERRAIN; DRAINAGE WATER; DRENAJE DE SUPERFICIE; DRENAJE SUBTERRANEO; EAU DE DRAINAGE; EAU SUPERFICIELLE; Erosion; everglades agricultural area; FARMLAND; FLORIDA; FLORIDE; FOSFORO; Freshwater; GEORGIA; GEORGIE; INVESTIGACION; MINERAL SOILS; Nitrates; NITROGEN; NITROGENO; NORTH CAROLINA; ORGANIC SOILS; PHOSPHORE; PHOSPHORUS; PHYSIOGRAPHIC SOIL TYPES; Q1; QUALITE DE L'EAU; RECHERCHE; REVIEWS; SOL MINERAL; SOL ORGANIQUE; SOUTH CAROLINA; SUBSURFACE DRAINAGE; SUELO MINERAL; SUELO ORGANICO; SURFACE DRAINAGE; SURFACE WATER; TECHNICAL PAPERS; TERRE AGRICOLE; TEXTURAL SOIL TYPES; TIERRAS AGRICOLAS; TIPOS FISIOGRAFICOS DE SUELOS; TIPOS TEXTURALES DE SUELOS; TYPE DE SOL GEOMORPHOLOGIQUE; TYPE DE SOL TEXTURAL; WATER QUALITY
• ISSN: 0733-9437; 1943-4774
• DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9437(1995)121:4(277)

A review of literature and summary of research results are presented on the effects of drainage on water quality in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Principal findings from the predominate coarse-textured soils of the Atlantic Coastal Plain include increased nitrate-nitrogen losses associated with improved subsurface drainage. Benefits of drainage include potential reductions in organic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses from these mineral soils. Results of drainage investigations on organic soils in the Everglades Agricultural Area of Florida indicate that phosphorus is the primary limiting factor for eutrophication problems in Lake Okeechobee. P losses can be potentially reduced by using slow versus fast drainage, retaining drainage water from vegetable and sugarcane fields (on sugarcane or fallow areas), and minimizing water-table fluctuations. Some of these potential practices and their resultant effects need additional verification for application to other areas and conditions.