Nitrate Accumulation and Other Components of the Groundwater in Relation to Cropping System in an Aquifer in Southwestern Spain

J. VÁzquez, J. Grande (), F. BarragÁn, J. OcaÑa and M. Torre

Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), 2005, vol. 19, issue 1, 22 pages

Abstract: Inappropriate farming techniques and 4 years of drought (1992–1995) produced conditions for high nitrate concentration in an aquifer located in the Province of Seville (Southwest Spain). The objectives of this study were to study groundwater components and to determine the relationship between the cropping system and nitrate concentrations in groundwater. From October 1994 to May 1996, 16 groundwater samples were obtained from a network of 35 sample points. Groundwater concentrations were analysed by multivariate statistical techniques (factor and cluster analysis). Two factors were found: firstly, agricultural pollution and secondly, salinization (from natural mineralization of groundwater and from anthropogenic effects). High levels of NO 3 − were closely associated with intensive cotton (Gossypium herbaceum L.) and potato production (Solanum tuberosum L.). The salinization factor includes electrical conductivity, Cl − , Na + , Ca 2 + , Mg 2 + , SO 4 2 − and HCO 3 − . Our study permits the impact of crops on groundwater to be determined. In comparison to the other crops, cotton (Gossypium herbaceum L.) and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) made the greatest contribution to nitrate pollution and salinization. Use of the groundwater for human consumption in drought periods could represent a public health risk. Alternative farming techniques for these crops such as monitored fractional fertilization and controlled irrigation are recommended. Copyright Springer Science + Business Media, Inc. 2005

Keywords: agriculture; groundwater protection; multivariate statistical analysis; nitrate leaching; pollution; salinization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s11269-005-0129-y (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:waterr:v:19:y:2005:i:1:p:1-22

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/11269

DOI: 10.1007/s11269-005-0129-y

Access Statistics for this article

Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA) is currently edited by G. Tsakiris

More articles in Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA) from Springer, European Water Resources Association (EWRA)
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().