Mechanics and Modelling of Nonpoint Source Pollution

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The long-term research goals have been to develop practical approaches for environmentally sustainable nonpoint source pollution management, including watershed based source water protection and nutrient management. The developed approaches will provide means to assess the health of water bodies in a watershed, to quantify the pollutant loading to water bodies, to identify pollutant sources and their contributions to loadings and to evaluate best management practices needed for water quality improvement. Development of such approaches require better understanding and description of seasonal hydrology, areas contributing runoff and pollutants in a watershed, and the variability of these areas with tile drainage and soil, land use and topography characteristics. This research will lead to the development of seasonal variable P-Index, and tools for effective management and redesigning of landscape by identifying flow paths and dominant sources of surface runoff and sediment loads. The proposed goals will be achieved (i) by quantification of effects of tile drainage on the soil hydraulic and erosion characteristics affecting nonpoint source pollution and nutrient management, (ii) by development of working relationships to quantify the effects of tile drainage on runoff contributing areas, (iii) by assessment of runoff contributing areas associated with surface inlets, and (iv) by development of a watershed based continuous model to simulate sediment loads to the stream with explicit representation of setbacks and vegetative filter strips. The results from this research will improve the P Index method by enhancing its capability for seasonal application and tile drained conditions. This research also will provide tools for design and evaluation of setbacks for land application of liquid manure and vegetative filter strips for protection of stream water quality. Application of the results from this research will certainly not be restricted to Ontario or Canada, but will have application in many parts of the world.