Land Use, Nutrient Yield, and Eutrophication in the Chowan River Basin

摘要

Land use changes within the Chowan River watershed over the past three decades were determined to assess their potential impact on recent water quality degradation and eutrophication of the Chowan River. The amount of harvested cropland has remained constant, but yields from major crops have increased, due partly to increased fertilizer usage. There has been a large increase in artificial drainage on farms from 1940 to 1978, approaching 12% a year. Recommendations for reducing nutrient overloading to the Chowan River include use of agricultural Best Management Practices to avoid overloading of soil with fertilizer or animal wastes, and protection of swamp forests so that these wetlands can remove nutrients before they enter the river.