Water and Soil Environment Pollution Reduction by Filter Strips
Contour filter strips planted with perennial vegetation
can be used to improve surface and ground water quality by reducing
pollutant, such as NO3-N, and sediment outflow from cropland to a
river or lake. Meanwhile, the filter strips of perennial grass with biofuel
potentials also have economic benefits of producing ethanol. In
this study, The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was
applied to the Walnut Creek Watershed to examine the effectiveness
of contour strips in reducing NO3-N outflows from crop fields to the
river or lake. Required input data include watershed topography,
slope, soil type, land-use, management practices in the watershed and
climate parameters (precipitation, maximum/minimum air
temperature, solar radiation, wind speed and relative humidity).
Numerical experiments were conducted to identify potential
subbasins in the watershed that have high water quality impact, and
to examine the effects of strip size and location on NO3-N reduction
in the subbasins under various meteorological conditions (dry,
average and wet). Variable sizes of contour strips (10%, 20%, 30%
and 50%, respectively, of a subbasin area) planted with perennial
switchgrass were selected for simulating the effects of strip size and
location on stream water quality. Simulation results showed that a
filter strip having 10%-50% of the subbasin area could lead to 55%-
90% NO3-N reduction in the subbasin during an average rainfall
year. Strips occupying 10-20% of the subbasin area were found to be
more efficient in reducing NO3-N when placed along the contour
than that when placed along the river. The results of this study can
assist in cost-benefit analysis and decision-making in best water
resources management practices for environmental protection.
[1] Hernandez, M.E. and Mitsch, W.J., 2007. Denitrification
in created riverine wetlands: Influence of hydrology and
season. Ecological Engineering 30(1): 78-88.
[2] Meier, K., Kuusemets, V., Luig, J., and Mande, U. 2005.
Riparian buffer zones as elements of ecological networks:
Case study on Parnassius mnemosyne distribution in
Estonia. Ecological Engineering 24(5), 531-537.
[3] Lin, Y., Lin, E., Chou, W., Lin, W., Tsai, J. and Wu, C.
2004. Modeling of riparian vegetated buffer strip width
and placement: A case study in Shei Pa National Park,
Taiwan. Ecological Engineering 23(4-5), 327-339.
[4] Anbumozhi V., Radhakrishnan, J. and Yamaji, E. 2005.
Impact of riparian buffer zones on water quality and
associated management considerations. Ecological
Engineering 24: 517-523.
[5] Arnold, J.G., Williams, J.R., and Maidment, D.R., 1995.
Continuous - Time Water and Sediment-Routing Model
for Large Basins. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering,
121(2), 171-183.
[6] Arnold, J.G., Srinivasan, R., Muttiah, R.S. and Williams,
J.R., 1998. Large Area Hydrologic Modeling and
Assessment Part I: Model Development. Journal of
American Water Resources Association, 34(1), 73-89.
[7] Santhi, C., Arnold, J.G., Williams, J.R., Dugas, W.A. and
Hauck, L., 2001. Validation of the SWAT model on a
large river basin with point and nonpoint sources. Journal
of the American Water Resources Association, 37(5),
1169-1188.
[8] Jha, M., Pan, Z., Takle, E.S. and Gu, R., 2004. Impacts of
climate change on stream flow in the Upper Mississippi
River Basin: A regional climate model perspective.
Journal of Geophysical Research, 109, D09105, doi:
10.1029/2003JD003686.
[9] Hatfield, J.L., Jaynes, D.D., Burkhart, M.R., Cambardella,
C.A., Moorman, T.B., Prueger, J.H. and Smith, M.A.,
1999. Water Quality in Walnut Creek Watershed: Setting
and Farming Practices. Journal of Environmental Quality,
28, 11-24.
[1] Hernandez, M.E. and Mitsch, W.J., 2007. Denitrification
in created riverine wetlands: Influence of hydrology and
season. Ecological Engineering 30(1): 78-88.
[2] Meier, K., Kuusemets, V., Luig, J., and Mande, U. 2005.
Riparian buffer zones as elements of ecological networks:
Case study on Parnassius mnemosyne distribution in
Estonia. Ecological Engineering 24(5), 531-537.
[3] Lin, Y., Lin, E., Chou, W., Lin, W., Tsai, J. and Wu, C.
2004. Modeling of riparian vegetated buffer strip width
and placement: A case study in Shei Pa National Park,
Taiwan. Ecological Engineering 23(4-5), 327-339.
[4] Anbumozhi V., Radhakrishnan, J. and Yamaji, E. 2005.
Impact of riparian buffer zones on water quality and
associated management considerations. Ecological
Engineering 24: 517-523.
[5] Arnold, J.G., Williams, J.R., and Maidment, D.R., 1995.
Continuous - Time Water and Sediment-Routing Model
for Large Basins. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering,
121(2), 171-183.
[6] Arnold, J.G., Srinivasan, R., Muttiah, R.S. and Williams,
J.R., 1998. Large Area Hydrologic Modeling and
Assessment Part I: Model Development. Journal of
American Water Resources Association, 34(1), 73-89.
[7] Santhi, C., Arnold, J.G., Williams, J.R., Dugas, W.A. and
Hauck, L., 2001. Validation of the SWAT model on a
large river basin with point and nonpoint sources. Journal
of the American Water Resources Association, 37(5),
1169-1188.
[8] Jha, M., Pan, Z., Takle, E.S. and Gu, R., 2004. Impacts of
climate change on stream flow in the Upper Mississippi
River Basin: A regional climate model perspective.
Journal of Geophysical Research, 109, D09105, doi:
10.1029/2003JD003686.
[9] Hatfield, J.L., Jaynes, D.D., Burkhart, M.R., Cambardella,
C.A., Moorman, T.B., Prueger, J.H. and Smith, M.A.,
1999. Water Quality in Walnut Creek Watershed: Setting
and Farming Practices. Journal of Environmental Quality,
28, 11-24.
@article{"International Journal of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences:49427", author = "Roy R. Gu and Mahesh Sahu and Xianggui Zhao", title = "Water and Soil Environment Pollution Reduction by Filter Strips", abstract = "Contour filter strips planted with perennial vegetation
can be used to improve surface and ground water quality by reducing
pollutant, such as NO3-N, and sediment outflow from cropland to a
river or lake. Meanwhile, the filter strips of perennial grass with biofuel
potentials also have economic benefits of producing ethanol. In
this study, The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was
applied to the Walnut Creek Watershed to examine the effectiveness
of contour strips in reducing NO3-N outflows from crop fields to the
river or lake. Required input data include watershed topography,
slope, soil type, land-use, management practices in the watershed and
climate parameters (precipitation, maximum/minimum air
temperature, solar radiation, wind speed and relative humidity).
Numerical experiments were conducted to identify potential
subbasins in the watershed that have high water quality impact, and
to examine the effects of strip size and location on NO3-N reduction
in the subbasins under various meteorological conditions (dry,
average and wet). Variable sizes of contour strips (10%, 20%, 30%
and 50%, respectively, of a subbasin area) planted with perennial
switchgrass were selected for simulating the effects of strip size and
location on stream water quality. Simulation results showed that a
filter strip having 10%-50% of the subbasin area could lead to 55%-
90% NO3-N reduction in the subbasin during an average rainfall
year. Strips occupying 10-20% of the subbasin area were found to be
more efficient in reducing NO3-N when placed along the contour
than that when placed along the river. The results of this study can
assist in cost-benefit analysis and decision-making in best water
resources management practices for environmental protection.", keywords = "modeling, SWAT, water quality, NO3-N, watershed.", volume = "4", number = "5", pages = "131-4", }