Agricultural BMP Effectiveness and Dominant Hydrological Flow Paths: Concepts and a Review1. (24th March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rittenburg, Rebecca A.; Squires, Audrey L.; Boll, Jan; Brooks, Erin S.; Easton, Zachary M.; Steenhuis, Tammo S.
• Is Part Of: Journal of the American Water Resources Association. Volume 51:Number 2(2015)
• Page Start: 305
• Page End: 329
• Publication Date: 2015-03-24
• Subjects: Water-supply -- Periodicals; Hydrology -- Periodicals; Water resources development -- Periodicals; Water resources development -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; 333.9100973
• DOI: 10.1111/1752-1688.12293
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1093-474X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jawr12293-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>We present a conceptual framework that relates agricultural best management practice (BMP) effectiveness with dominant hydrological flow paths to improve nonpoint source (NPS) pollution management. We use the framework to analyze plot, field and watershed scale published studies on BMP effectiveness to develop transferable recommendations for BMP selection and placement at the watershed scale. The framework is based on the location of the restrictive layer in the soil profile and distinguishes three hydrologic land types. Hydrologic land type <italic>A</italic> has the restrictive layer at the surface and BMPs that increase infiltration are effective. In land type <italic>B1</italic>, the surface soil has an infiltration rate greater than the prevailing precipitation intensity, but there is a shallow restrictive layer causing lateral flow and saturation excess overland flow. Few structural practices are effective for these land types, but pollutant source management plans can significantly reduce pollutant loading. Hydrologic land type <italic>B2</italic> has deep, well‐draining soils without restrictive layers that transport pollutants to groundwater via percolation. Practices that increased pollutant residence time in the mixing layer or increased plant water uptake were found as the most effective BMPs in <italic>B2</italic> land types. Matching BMPs to the appropriate land type allows for better targeting of hydrologically sensitive areas within a watershed, and potentially more significant reductions of NPS pollutant loading.</p> </abstract>