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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Vegetated Treatment Systems for Removing Contaminants Associated with Surface Water Toxicity in Agriculture and Urban Runoff

Vegetated Treatment Systems for Removing Contaminants Associated with Surface Water Toxicity in Agriculture and Urban Runoff

Published on: May 15, 2017

Nutrient transport through a Vegetative Filter Strip with subsurface drainage.

Rabin Bhattarai¹, Prasanta Kumar Kalita, Mita Kanu Patel

¹Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. rbhatta2@illinois.edu

Journal of Environmental Management

|January 28, 2009

Summary

Vegetative Filter Strips (VFS) reduce surface runoff nutrients like phosphorus. However, adding subsurface drainage may increase nitrate nitrogen transport, potentially harming water quality.

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Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Soil Science
Water Quality Management

Background:

Nutrient and sediment transport in runoff is a significant environmental concern.
Vegetative Filter Strips (VFS) are established best management practices (BMPs) for mitigating surface runoff pollution.
The impact of VFS combined with subsurface drainage on nutrient retention is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate nutrient (Nitrate Nitrogen, Orthophosphorus, Total Phosphorus) retention and transport in a VFS with an integrated subsurface drainage system.
To assess the effectiveness of this combined BMP in preventing pollutant s from reaching receiving waters.

Main Methods:

Monitoring nutrient concentrations (NO(3)-N, PO(4), TP) in surface water (inflow and outflow) and subsurface drainage.
Analyzing soil samples for plant-available Phosphorus (Bray P1) and NO(3)-N at various depths.
Comparing nutrient levels in surface flow versus subsurface outflow.

Main Results:

VFS significantly reduced PO(4) (up to 75%) and TP (up to 70%) concentrations in surface outflow.
Subsurface outflow showed decreased PO(4) and TP but increased NO(3)-N concentrations compared to surface inflow.
Nutrient buildup was minimal in topsoil but gradually increased at the subsurface drain depth.

Conclusions:

VFS are effective in reducing surface nutrient loads, particularly phosphorus.
The addition of subsurface drainage to VFS may increase nitrate nitrogen transport, potentially negating BMP benefits.
The combined VFS and subsurface drainage system may not be environmentally advantageous for nitrate management.