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Pollutant loading from low-density residential neighborhoods in California

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Abstract

This paper presents a comparison of pollutant load estimations for runoff from two geographically distinct residential suburban neighborhoods in northern and southern California. The two neighborhoods represent a single urban land use type: low-density residential in small catchments (<0.3 km2) under differing regional climates and irrigation practices. Pollutant loads of pesticides, nutrients, and drinking water constituents of concern are estimated for both storm and non-storm runoff. From continuous flow monitoring, it was found that a daily cycle of persistent runoff that peaks mid-morning occurs at both sites. These load estimations indicate that many residential neighborhoods in California produce significant non-storm pollutant loads year-round. Results suggest that non-storm flow accounted for 47–69% of total annual runoff and significantly contributed to annual loading rates of most nutrients and pesticides at both sites. At the Southern California site, annual non-storm loads are 1.2–10 times higher than storm loads of all conventional constituents and nutrients with one exception (total suspended solids). At the Northern California site, annual storm loads range from 51 to 76% of total loads for all conventional constituents and nutrients with one exception (total dissolved solids). Non-storm yields of pesticides at the Southern California site range from 1.3–65 times higher than those at the Northern California site. The disparity in estimated pollutant loads between the two sites indicates large potential variation from site-to-site within the state and suggests neighborhoods in drier and milder climates may produce significantly larger non-storm loads due to persistent dry season runoff and year-round pest control.

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Acknowledgements

Funding: Data used in this paper were collected and produced under California State Water Resources Control Board Grant Agreement No. 04-231-550-3. S. Harader of the California Bay-Delta Authority Water Quality Program and B. Yee of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Region 5) reviewed the study plan and contributed helpful comments. L. Schmitz was the State Water Quality Control Board grant manager. The work by S. E. Greco was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch Project 1011533. Volunteers of the UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program in Sacramento County assisted in collecting runoff water quality samples. Dr. G. Tchobanoglous provided a thoughtful review of early drafts of this manuscript. The authors thank four anonymous reviewers who greatly improved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Watercourse Engineering, 424 2nd Street, Suite B, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Andrew E. Bale

  2. Department of Human Ecology, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616-8803, USA

    Steven E. Greco

  3. Department of Plant Sciences MS6, University of California, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Bruno J. L. Pitton & Lorence R. Oki

  4. UC Cooperative Extension Orange County, South Coast Research and Extension Center, 7601 Irvine Blvd., Irvine, CA, 92618, USA

    Darren L. Haver

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Correspondence to Andrew E. Bale.

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Bale, A.E., Greco, S.E., Pitton, B.J.L. et al. Pollutant loading from low-density residential neighborhoods in California. Environ Monit Assess 189, 386 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-017-6104-2

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