Connectivity influences on nutrient and sediment migration in the Wartburg catchment, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

Publication date: 2014 Source:Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C, Volumes 67–69 Author(s): Kipkemboi J. Kollongei , Simon A. Lorentz Non-point-source (NPS) pollution of surface and groundwater by sediment and nutrient loads emanating from agricultural catchments is a prominent environmental issue, with major consequences on water supply and aquatic ecosystem quality. The concept of connectivity has proved invaluable in understanding migration of NPS pollutants in catchments. Observations of sediments or suspended solids (SS), nitrate (NO3) and phosphorous (P) fluxes alongside stable water isotope sampling were made on a nested basis at field and catchment (41km2) scales for a series of events in the Wartburg catchment, South Africa. The nested catchment scale sampling was focused on control features in the stream network, including road crossings, farm dams and wetland zones. The analyzed stable water (δ18O and δ2H) isotopes results were used to interpret the connectivity of the contributing land forms and the stream network. The results reveal the dominant influences of farm dams and wetlands in limiting the downstream migration of sediment and nutrients for all but the most intense events. Certain events resulted in mixing in the dams and larger resultant outflow than inflow loads. These occurrences appear to be as a result of combinations of reservoir status, catchment antecedent conditions and rainfall depth and intensity. The nutrients loads betwee...
Source: Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts ABC - Category: Science Source Type: research