Digital Commons Network^™

Structural Equation Modeling Of Dynamics Of Nitrate Contamination In Groundwater, Zhi-Jun Liu, George R. Hallberg, George P. Malanson

George P Malanson

Most research on the temporal aspect of nitrate pollution in water resources has focused on surface water. Comprehensive studies on the dynamics of nitrate in ground water are lacking, especially on a drainage basin scale and for relatively long periods of time. In this study, structural equation modeling is applied in investigating the influences of climate, hydrology, and nitrogen management in agricultural production on nitrate concentration in the Big Spring Basin, Iowa, over a 10-year period. The study shows that for given hydrogeological settings, nitrogen management practices and climate are the two most important factors that affect nitrate dynamics. The …