title: Methodology for agricultural and rural NPS pollution in a typical county of the North China Plain.
abstract: Agricultural non-point source (NPS) pollution has been recently identified by the Chinese government as a major source of aquatic pollution. Methodologies commonly used to make basin-wide or area-wide assessments are problematic and regional distinctions have not been made relative to rainfall and runoff. Using a typical agricultural county in the Hai River basin of the North China Plan we developed methodology to estimate potential load and delivered load for crops (field crops + rice), animal production, rural living and from atmospheric N input. We use scenarios to allow for uncertainty in delivery to estimate the relative roles of different rural forms of pollution. Livestock raising is the major source of NPS pollution. Despite a 75% rural population, rural living contributes almost nothing to surface water pollution. While over-fertilization is typical, nutrient runoff from crops is low. Our results have implications for policies now under development for NPS control in China.
authors.affiliation: Tianjin Academy of Environmental Sciences, No.17 Fukang Road, Tianjin 300191, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiaolan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Edwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ongley
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005308:Fertilizers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D045483:Rivers; D012424:Rural Population; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen