Modelling point and diffuse source pollution of nitrate in a rural lowland catchment using the SWAT model

• Published in: Agricultural water management 2010-02, Vol.97 (2), p.317-325
• Main Authors: Lam, Q.D., Schmalz, B., Fohrer, N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural and forest climatology and meteorology. Irrigation. Drainage; agricultural land; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Catchments; Diffusion; environmental assessment; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; hydrologic models; Land; long term effects; lowland forests; Lowland hydrology; Lowland hydrology Point and diffuse sources Nitrate load SWAT; Lowlands; model validation; Nitrate load; Nitrates; nutrients; pastures; Point and diffuse sources; point source pollution; Pollution abatement; pollution load; probabilistic models; risk assessment; simulation models; Soil and Water Assessment Tool; SWAT; wastewater treatment; water flow; Water pollution; Water quality; watersheds
• ISSN: 0378-3774; 1873-2283
• DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2009.10.004

The assessments of potential environmental impacts of point and diffuse source pollution at regional scales are necessary to achieve the sustainable development of natural resources such as land and water. Nutrient related diffuse source pollutant inputs can enhance crop growth and improve soil eutrophication. However, excessive nutrient input can result in the impairment of water quality. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the long-term impact of point and diffuse source pollution on nitrate load in a lowland catchment using the ecohydrological model SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) and to determine the contribution of point and diffuse sources to nitrate load in the entire catchment. The study area Kielstau catchment has a size of approximately 50 km 2 and is located in the North German lowlands. The water quality is not only influenced by the predominating agricultural land use in the catchment as cropland and pasture, but also by six municipal wastewater treatment plants. Diffuse entries as well as punctual entries from the wastewater treatment plants are implemented in the model set-up. The model was first calibrated and then validated in a daily time step. The values of the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency for the simulations of flow and nitrate load range from 0.68 to 0.75 for the calibration period and from 0.76 to 0.78 for the validation period. These statistical results revealed that the SWAT model performed satisfactorily in simulating daily flow and nitrate load in lowland catchment of Northern Germany. The results showed that diffuse sources are the main contributor to nitrate load in the entire catchment accounting for about 95% of the total nitrate load, while only 5% results from point sources. The model results also indicated that agriculture is the dominant contributor of diffuse sources and the percentage of agricultural land area is considerably positively correlated to nitrate load at the different subbasins. The area covered by forest is found to be negatively correlated with nitrate load.