U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 close



Research
                Research Home
                            National Programs
                            Research Projects
                            Scientific Manuscripts
                            International Engagement
                            Scientific Software/Models
                            Databases and Datasets
                            Office of Scientific Quality Review
            Media
                News & Features
                            Multimedia
                            Briefing Room
                            Down on the Farm
                            Press Room
                            Science in Your Shopping Cart
                            Scientific Discoveries
                            Tellus
                            Under the Microscope
            About ARS
                About ARS Home
                            Staff Directory
                            Labs and Research Centers (Map)
                            Headquarter Offices
                            Organizational Chart
                            Employee Services (REE Employees Only)
                            Office of Outreach, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity
            Work With Us
                Work With Us Home
                            ARS Vacancies at USAJOBS
                            Careers at ARS Information
                            Scientific Collaborations
                            Extramural Agreements
                            1890 Faculty Research Sabbatical ProgramSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            Angier, Jonathanitem
                                            McCarty, Gregoryitem
                                            Rice, Clifforditem
                                            Bialek Kalinski, Krystyna
  Submitted to: American Water Resources Association Conference Proceedings
                                    Publication Type: Abstract Only
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 4/2/2004
                                    Publication  Date: 6/29/2004
                                    Citation: Angier, J., McCarty, G.W., Rice, C., Bialek-Kalinski, K.M. 2004. Critical areas in riparian buffers: Improving contaminant remediation function by identifying zones with limited mitigation capacity [abstract]. American Water Resources Association Conference Proceedings, June 2004.Interpretive Summary:
                                Technical Abstract: First-order riparian buffers are often considered the best line of defense in mitigating potential agricultural pollution, but the capacity for contaminant remediation can vary spatially and temporally within a single ecosystem.  Research conducted at a small watershed in the mid-Atlantic coastal plain of Maryland indicated that certain areas in the riparian zone consistently contributed disproportionately to total exported stream contaminant loads.  Source areas of groundwater-contributed agrochemicals were relatively small, focused, and stable.  One area of the riparian floodplain, a zone of enhanced groundwater exfiltration to the surface, accounted for ~35% of total annual exported stream nitrate, but comprised 0.006% of the riparian zone.  Pesticide metabolites that were transported through groundwater also tended to surface in these foci of groundwater exfiltration.  Areas such as these ("critical areas") limit the mitigation capacity of the entire ecosystem.  Preferential subsurface flow appeared to be responsible for determining where these areas occurred.  Identifying critical areas is necessary to assess the impact of agrochemicals on the environment.  Current regulations and design specifications that assume uniform mitigation capacity within a riparian zone are not optimal; reevaluating riparian buffers in terms of critical and non-critical areas should allow more resources to be allocated for limiting the contamination potential from critical areas and thus improve overall riparian zone mitigation capability.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov