Main authors: | Linda Tendler, Thomas Beiss-Delkeskamp |
FAIRWAYiS Editor: | Jane Brandt |
Source documents: | »Oenema, O. et al. 2018. Review of measures to decrease nitrate pollution of drinking water sources. FAIRWAY Project Deliverable 4.1, 125 pp »Commelin, M. et al. 2018. Review of measures to decrease pesticide pollution of drinking water sources. FAIRWAY Project Deliverable 4.2, 79 pp »Velthof, G. et al. 2020. Identification of most promising measures and practices. FAIRWAY Project Deliverable 4.3, 72 pp |
One of FAIRWAY's major research themes is the identification and assessment of most promising measures and practices to decrease nitrate and pesticide pollution of drinking water supplies by agriculture (see »Farming practices: review and assessment).
Data and information collected from the Lower Saxony case study was used in the research tasks as described here. Nitrate and phosphate, rather than pesticide, pollution is the main issue in this area.
Contents table |
1. Measures to decrease nitrate pollution |
2. Effectiveness of nitrate and pesticide measures |
1. Measures to decrease nitrate pollution
In »Review of measures to decrease nitrate pollution of drinking water sources we describe how FAIRWAY built on insights and results gathered in EU-wide and global projects and studies. We provide an overview and assessment of the effectiveness and efficiency of measures aimed at decreasing nitrate pollution of drinking water sources. As part of the review, the Lower Saxony case study provided information about the measures that have been implemented in the local area.
Name of measure | Farm-holistic fertilization planning with generic software |
Target | Quality groundwater resources |
Description | Farm-holistic planing (including economic scenarios) to better estimate the amount of fertilizer needed |
Mode of action |
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Expected effectiveness | Depends on individual farm; no effect up to high effect |
Expected cost | Low: < 10 euro per ha |
Underpinning | Only project reports exist, no official (scientific) publications available |
Applicability | Yes (on more than 75% of the agricultural land) |
Adoptability | Yes (more than 75% of the addressees) |
Other benefits | Yes, potentially various |
Disadvantages | No |
References | |
Additional comments |
Name of measure | Sampling-based (and model-based) fertilization planning |
Target | Quality groundwater resources |
Description | Soil and plant sampling (and modelling of water dynamics in the soil) to better estimate crop nutrients needs and timing of fertilization; e.g. soil mineral nitrogen analysis, humus analysis, analysis of temporal development of nitrate/chlorophyll contents in plant sap, ... |
Mode of action |
|
Expected effectiveness | Depends on individual farm; no effect up to high effect |
Expected cost | Low: < 10 euro per ha |
Underpinning | Only project reports exist, no official (scientific) publications available |
Applicability | Partly (on 25-75% of the agricultural land) |
Adoptability | Partly (on 25-75% of the addressees) |
Other benefits | Unknown |
Disadvantages | No |
References | |
Additional comments | Adoptability depends on respective crop (rotation) |
Name of measure | Calculation of nutrient balances (different scenarios) |
Target | Quality groundwater resources |
Description | Calculation of nutrient balances both field-based and farm-based |
Mode of action |
|
Expected effectiveness | Depends on individual farm; no effect up to moderate effect |
Expected cost | Low: < 10 euro per ha |
Underpinning | Only project reports exist, no official (scientific) publications available |
Applicability | Yes (on more than 75% of the agricultural land) |
Adoptability | Yes (more than 75% of the addressees) |
Other benefits | Unknown |
Disadvantages | No |
References | |
Additional comments | Farmers are legally obliged to adopt the measure |
Name of measure | Information events/discussions/ field days concerning relevant topics |
Target | Quality surface and groundwater |
Description |
Improved information transfer about topics dealing with efficient use of farm manure, e.g.
|
Mode of action |
|
Expected effectiveness | Depends on individual farm; no effect up to high effect |
Expected cost | Low: < 10 euro per ha |
Underpinning | Only project reports exist, no official (scientific) publications available |
Applicability | Partly (on 25-75% of the agricultural land) |
Adoptability | Partly (on 25-75% of the addressees) |
Other benefits | Unknown |
Disadvantages | |
References | |
Additional comments |
Name of measure | Demonstration/use of innovative techniques concerning farm manure application (while avoiding soil compaction) |
Target | Quality surface and groundwater |
Description | Improved information transfer and promoting of innovative techniques to enable efficient application of farm manure |
Mode of action |
|
Expected effectiveness | Depends on individual farm; no effect up to moderate effect |
Expected cost | Low: < 10 euro per ha |
Underpinning | Only project reports exist, no official (scientific) publications available |
Applicability | Partly (on 25-75% of the agricultural land) |
Adoptability | Partly (on 25-75% of the addressees) |
Other benefits | Yes, decreases greenhouse gas emissions |
Disadvantages | No |
References | |
Additional comments |
3. Effectiveness of nitrate and pesticide measures
The information about 34 different nitrate mitigation measures, implemented locally in 10 different FAIRWAY case studies, was collected and analysed. The measures were aggregated by type and the average/overall scores for effectivity, cost, applicability, and adoptability were assessed from the individual records and comments. See »Management practices that reduce nitrate transport - Results and discussion - Case studies.
Similarly, information about 17 different pesticide mitigation measures, implemented locally in 7 different FAIRWAY case studies, was collected and analysed. The measures were evaluated for their cost and effectiveness for reducing pollution of groundwater and surface water. See »Management practices that reduce pesticide transport - Results - Case studies
Note: For full references to papers quoted in this article see