Agricultural nitrate load attenuation in a small groundwater-influenced wetland system
| dc.contributor.advisor | MacQuarrie, Kerry T.B. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Crossley, Leah | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-05-21T14:55:56Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-05-21T14:55:56Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-03 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Nitrate contamination of fresh water in agricultural watersheds, such as those in Prince Edward Island (PEI), is a significant human and environmental health concern. This field study (August 2023 – July 2024) investigated the nitrate loads delivered to and exported from a small (1.2 ha), groundwater-influenced, stream-wetland system in PEI. High frequency monitoring revealed that the annual nitrate load delivered to the wetland was 30,000 kg NO3 N/year. Groundwater discharge contributed about 67% of the nitrate load, while a small stream contributed the remainder. Variations in discharge rates were determined to be the dominant factor affecting the variation in nitrate loads. The wetland acted as a nitrate sink for 49 of 52 weeks, attenuating 39% of the imported nitrate load. The results of this study suggest that small, constructed wetlands can effectively reduce nitrate levels in agriculturally dominated watersheds; however, high-frequency data are required to obtain accurate estimates of nitrate load reductions. | |
| dc.description.copyright | © Leah Crossley, 2025 | |
| dc.format.extent | xvii, 108 | |
| dc.format.medium | electronic | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://unbscholar.lib.unb.ca/handle/1882/38299 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | University of New Brunswick | |
| dc.relation | Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (Discovery Grant) | |
| dc.relation | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Living Labs Program | |
| dc.rights | http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 | |
| dc.subject.discipline | Civil Engineering | |
| dc.title | Agricultural nitrate load attenuation in a small groundwater-influenced wetland system | |
| dc.type | master thesis | |
| oaire.license.condition | other | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Civil Engineering | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | University of New Brunswick | |
| thesis.degree.level | masters | |
| thesis.degree.name | M.Sc.E. |