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Evolution of nutrient export under urban development in areas affected by shallow watertable
Olga V Barron1, Anthony D Barr, Michael J Donn
1CSIRO Land and Water, PO Box 5, Wembley, WA 6913, Australia. Olga.Barron@csiro.au
The Science of the Total Environment
|December 11, 2012
Summary
Urbanization flushes legacy nutrients from groundwater into surface water, impacting water quality. New urban development introduces additional solutes, requiring targeted control measures for both legacy and new nutrient sources.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Hydrology
- Water Quality Management
Background:
- Urbanization significantly alters catchment hydrology and water quality.
- Legacy solutes stored in groundwater pose a long-term water quality risk.
- Mediterranean climates with sandy soils exacerbate solute storage and flushing dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To model the impact of urbanization on surface water quality, considering both legacy and new solute sources.
- To assess the effectiveness of different urbanization scenarios on solute flushing and accumulation.
- To inform water quality control strategies for urbanized catchments.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a hydrological model to simulate urbanisation effects on catchment water balance.
- Analyzed solute transport dynamics in shallow groundwater with long residence times.
- Modeled legacy solute flushing and new solute inputs under various urban development scenarios.
Main Results:
- Urbanization reduces groundwater residence time, leading to legacy solute flushing into surface waters.
- Initial legacy solute concentrations exceed regional water quality standards but decrease significantly within 10 years.
- New urban solute sources impact water quality for over 5 years, influenced by urban density and irrigation practices.
Conclusions:
- Water quality control should prioritize legacy nutrient management in the initial years of urban development.
- Long-term solutions require measures to mitigate nutrient leachate from new urban landscapes, such as soil amendments.
- Catchment management strategies must address both legacy solute mobilization and new pollutant inputs for effective water quality protection.
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