The next step – incorporating diffuse pollution abatement into watershed management

Abstract

The majority of adverse changes in watersheds impairing water quality occurred over a period of thirty to more than one hundred years. In many areas over a period of about 80 years more than 90% of the wetlands were drained, cultivated and converted to agricultural and urban uses. This conversion changed the redox status of the soils and soil cover with a concurrent large increase of suspended solids, dissolved organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphate loads from the watersheds located in the affected regions. The question whether these adverse changes are reversible by reduction or discontinuation of excessive inputs of pollutants came to light and has been analyzed recently after the political changes in Eastern Europe. Reliable dynamic long term models that would describe interactions between nutrient inputs, outputs, storage etc., have not been developed yet. It is becoming apparent that it may take longer for the watersheds to recover after nutrient loads to surface and groundwater are reduced if remedial measures are gradually implemented.