The Unreliability of Tile Effluent for Monitoring Subsurface Nitrate-Nitrogen Losses from Soils
1974; Wiley; Volume: 3; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.2134/jeq1974.00472425000300020022x
ISSN1537-2537
AutoresGrant W. Thomas, B. J. Barfield,
Tópico(s)Groundwater flow and contamination studies
ResumoAbstract Investigation of a completely tiled field showed that only a small proportion of the total flow reaching the drainage ditch came from tile effluent. In two measurements, 63 and 89% of the flow to the drainage ditch came from seepage other than through tiles. The nitrate‐nitrogen concentrations in the tile effluent were far higher than those calculated in the nontile flow by mass balance. We conclude that nitrate‐nitrogen concentrations in tile effluents may not be reliable indicators of nitrate‐nitrogen losses from agricultural land, when the tiles do not intercept all subsurface flow.
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