Herbicide transport in rivers: Importance of hydrology and geochemistry in nonpoint-source contamination
Environmental Science & Technology
By: P. J. Squillace and E.M. Thurman
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Abstract
Alachlor, atrazine, cyanazine, metolachlor, and metribuzin were measured at six sites during 1984 and 1985 in large subbasins within the Cedar River, IA. A computer model separated the Cedar River discharge hydrograph into groundwater and overland-flow components. The concentration of herbicides in the river when groundwater was the major flow component was less than 1.0 μg/L and averaged 0.2 μg/L. The maximum concentrations of herbicides occurred when overland flow was the major component of river discharge, exceeding 50 pg/L for total herbicides. About 6% of the annual river load of atrazine was transported with the groundwater component, while 94% was transported with overland flow. From 1.5 to 5% of the atrazine applied during the year was transported from the basin. Atrazine concentrations in the river in- creased according to the discharge divided by the drainage area. This correlation indicates that rivers with large normalized 2-year peak flows have the potential to transport large concentrations of herbicides. A diagrammatic model of nonpoint-source transport of herbicides was developed that suggests that sorbed transport from fields occurs during episodes of overland flow with rapid dissolution of herbicides downstream.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Herbicide transport in rivers: Importance of hydrology and geochemistry in nonpoint-source contamination |
| Series title | Environmental Science & Technology |
| DOI | 10.1021/es00027a015 |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Year Published | 1992 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | American Chemical Society |
| Contributing office(s) | Iowa Water Science Center, Toxic Substances Hydrology Program |
| Description | 8 p. |
| First page | 538 |
| Last page | 545 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Iowa |
| Online Only (Y/N) | N |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |