Abstract
Compared with groundwater pollution episodes of a point-source nature, nonpoint-source contamination makes for particularly difficult policy design. This is especially true in the context of a mixed land-use aquifer, where the same pollutant may derive from various human land-use activities and in different concentrations. To data, the emprirical literature attempting to estimate the relative loadings of pollutants from alternative land uses is rather sparse. Yet this information is vital to a variety of numerical computer models used to predict likelihood of groundwater contamination, and the statistical results are useful in their own right for regional policy formation. Regression analysis is applied to estimate loadings of nitrate and sodium from various land uses. The model is then used to illustrate how well-intended local groundwater protection policies that fail to recognize land-use substitution and cross-pollutant effects may be misdirected.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Flipse, W. J., B. G. Kats, J. B. Lindner, R. Markel. 1984. Sources of nitrate in ground water in a sewered housing development, central Long Island, New York.Ground Water 22:418–426.
Grady, S. J. 1989. Statistical comparison of ground-water quality in four land-use areas of stratified-drift aquifersIn G. E. Mallard and S. E. Ragone (eds.), US Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program—Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona, 26–30 September, 1988, pp. 38–51, Water Resources Investigations Report 88-4220. Reston, Virginia.
Grady, S. J., and M. F. Weaver. 1988. Preliminary appraisal of the effects of land use on water quality stratified-drift aquifers. US Geological Survey, Water-Resources Investigations Report 87-4005. Hartford, Connecticut.
Hatfield, K., and R. R. Noss 1988. Nonpoint source ground water wasteload allocation modeling. Environmental Engineering Program Technical Report No. 97-87-5. University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Judge, G. G., W. E. Griffiths, R. C. Hill, H. Lutkepohl, and T. C. Lee 1985. The theory and practice of econometrics, 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York.
Katz, B. G., J. B. Lindner, S. E. Ragone 1980. A comparison of nitrate in shallow ground water from sewered and unsewered areas. Nassau County, New York, from 1952 through 1976.Ground Water 18:607–616.
Khan, M. A., and T. Liang 1989. Mapping pesticide contamination potential.Environmental Management 13: 233–242.
Noss R. R. 1988. Recharge area land use and well water quality. Progress report. The Environmental Institute, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts.
Persky, J. H. 1986. The relation of ground-water quality to housing density, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. US Geological Survey, Water-Resources Investigations Report 86-4093. Boston, Massachusetts.
Porter, K. S. 1980. An evaluation of sources of nitrogen as causes of ground-water contamination in Nassau County, Long Island.Ground Water 18:617–625.
Ritter, W. F., and A. E. M. Chirnside 1984. Impacts of land use on groundwater quality in southern Delaware.Ground Water 22:38–47.
Roberts, F. N. 1979. Evaluation of nitrate in the ground water in the Delaware Coastal Plain.Ground Water 17:328–337.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Harper, C.R., Goetz, W.J. & Willis, C.E. Groundwater protection in mixed land-use aquifers. Environmental Management 16, 777–783 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02645668
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02645668