Role and ecological impact of groundwater in delivering phospohorus to agricultural streams

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Streams, rivers and lakes across Canada are threatened by excessive inputs of phosphorus from human activities including agriculture. Excess phosphorus leads to harmful algal blooms, impairs aquatic ecosystems, and contaminates drinking water sources. This has severe economic, ecological and societal implications. Despite large economic investments and widespread implementation of agricultural management practices aimed at minimizing phosphorus inputs to surface waters, water quality improvements have been limited. Current practices generally lack consideration for phosphorus inputs from groundwater although this pathway may be important and may play a key role in explaining the limit success of management practices. The proposed project will combine novel field investigations with state-of-the-art computer modeling and the development of user-friendly decision support tools to evaluate the contribution and ecological impact of groundwater in delivering phosphorus to agricultural streams. This includes advancing understanding on the complex interacting hydrological and biogeochemical processes occurring in the groundwater-surface water transition zone connecting agricultural lands to streams, as well as evaluating the stream ecological response to groundwater phosphorus inputs. The new scientific understanding and tools that will be generated are urgently needed to guide agricultural nutrient management programs and policy aimed at restoring and protecting surface waters across Canada. This project will bring together university and government researchers, government agencies and a conservation authority who will work together to establish and apply the research findings to make informed management and policy decisions that will benefit Canada within a 10-year time frame. The research will involve one postdoctoral fellow, four graduate students and nine undergraduate students who will obtain cutting-edge multidisciplinary training and gain valuable real-world experience through interaction with environmental management and policy organizations.