General quantification of catchment-scale nutrient and pollutant transport through the subsurface to surface and coastal waters.
This study develops a general quantification framework for consistent intermodel and intercatchment comparison of the nutrient and pollutant mass loading from multiple sources in a catchment area to downstream surface and coastal waters. The framework accounts for the wide spectrum of different transport pathways and travel times through the subsurface (soil, groundwater, sediment) and the linked surface (streams, lakes, wetlands) water systems of a catchment. The account is based on key flow partitioning and mass delivery fractions, which can be quantified differently by different flow and transport and reaction models. The framework application is exemplified for two Swedish catchment cases with regard to the transport of phosphorus and of a generic attenuating solute. The results show essential differences in model quantifications of transport pathways and temporal spreading, with important implications for our understanding of cause and effect in the catchment-scale nutrient and pollutant loading to downstream waters.
Destouni
Georgia
G
Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden. georgia.destouni@natgeo.su.se
Persson
Klas
K
Prieto
Carmen
C
Jarsjö
Jerker
J
D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D007700:Kinetics; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014872:Water Movements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen