thumbnail

Sources of nitrate in water from springs and the Upper Floridan aquifer, Suwannee River basin, Florida

IAHS-AISH Publication
By: , and 

Links

  • The Publications Warehouse does not have links to digital versions of this publication at this time
  • Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core

Abstract

In the Suwannee River basin of northern Florida, nitrate-N concentrations are 1.5 to 20 mg 1-1 in waters of the karstic Upper Floridan aquifer and in springs that discharge into the middle reach of the Suwannee River. During 1996-1997, fertilizers and animal wastes from farming operations in Suwannee County contributed approximately 49% and 45% of the total N input, respectively. Values of ??15N-NO3 in spring waters range from 3.9??? to 5.8???, indicating that nitrate most likely originates from a mixture of inorganic (fertilizers) and organic (animal waste) sources. In Lafayette County, animal wastes from farming operations and fertilizers contributed approximately 53% and 39% of the total N input, respectively, but groundwater near dairy and poultry farms has ??15N-NO3 values of 11.0-12.1???, indicative of an organic source of nitrate. Spring waters that discharge to the Suwannee River from Lafayette County have ??15N-NO3 values of 5.4-8.39???, which are indicative of both organic and inorganic sources. Based on analyses of CFCs, the mean residence time of shallow groundwater and spring water ranges between 8-12 years and 12-25 years, respectively.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Sources of nitrate in water from springs and the Upper Floridan aquifer, Suwannee River basin, Florida
Series title IAHS-AISH Publication
Volume 257
Year Published 1999
Language English
Publisher International Association of Hydrologic Sciences
Publisher location Houston, TX
Description 8 p.
Larger Work Title Impacts of Land-Use Change on Nutrient Loads from Diffuse Sources: International Association of Hydrologic Sciences, Publication 257
First page 117
Last page 124
Conference Title Proceedings of the 1999 IUGG 99, the XXII General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics
Conference Location Birmingham, UK
Conference Date 18 July 1999 through 30 July 1999
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details