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A nitrogen inventory for the Nooksack-Fraser Transboundary Watershed
Citation:
Compton, J., J. Lin, J. Baron, D. Schwede, S. Bittman, D. Hooper, P. Kiffney, N. Embertson, B. Carey, H. Mackay, R. Black, G. Bahr, AND E. Davidson. A nitrogen inventory for the Nooksack-Fraser Transboundary Watershed. Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference, Seattle, WA, April 04 - 06, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
The Nooksack-Fraser transboundary area is home to communities with a strong base in farming, fisheries and outdoor recreation. A goal of the Nooksack-Fraser Transboundary Nitrogen (NFT-N) project is to determine the sources and fates of N in the watershed using data on energy use, transportation, fertilization, wastewater treatment plants, animal feeding operations, wildlife and more. Water quality issues impact parts of this area, where sewage effluent and animal waste are potential sources of both fecal coliform bacteria (FCB) and nitrogen (N) in the environment. Nitrogen loading can lead to eutrophication in coastal areas, and nitrate contamination of groundwater. This project brings together stakeholders, agencies, and scientists on both sides of the international boarder to achieve a first characterization of N inventories and fluxes across the transboundary watershed. This work represents a collaborative effort between a large team of stakeholders who are assembling a preliminary N budget for the Nooksack Basin, to inform policy and decisions in the basin. The abstract will be submitted to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference, as part of a session on water quality in the Nooksack Basin. It contributes to SHC 4.61.4.
Description:
The Nooksack-Fraser transboundary area is home to communities with a strong base in farming, fisheries and outdoor recreation. A goal of the Nooksack-Fraser Transboundary Nitrogen (NFT-N) project is to determine the sources and fates of N in the watershed using data on energy use, transportation, fertilization, wastewater treatment plants, animal feeding operations, wildlife and more. Water quality issues impact parts of this area, where sewage effluent and animal waste are potential sources of both fecal coliform bacteria (FCB) and nitrogen (N) in the environment. Nitrogen loading can lead to eutrophication in coastal areas, and nitrate contamination of groundwater. This project brings together stakeholders, agencies, and scientists on both sides of the international boarder to achieve a first characterization of N inventories and fluxes across the transboundary watershed. A comprehensive N assessment can benefit FCB management by providing key information on source distribution. Using crop-specific fertilizer recommendations, we estimate that the requirements for synthetic fertilizer N on the U.S. side of the watershed ranges between 1855 and 3184 metric tons (MT). Application of livestock manure is equal to or perhaps more than fertilizer requirements, ranging between 1926 and 3963 MT N per year. The combined septic and sewage inputs of N falls between 71 and 84 MT per year, while atmospheric deposition contributes 527 MT N per year. Preliminary results for the US side demonstrate the important role of N from agriculture. Results will be refined by updating values, adding other N components, integrating with the existing Canadian budget, and connecting inputs to N fates in ground and surface water. The budget will be used to examine the impacts of N policy and management across the boundary (US-Canada), and to support future efforts in developing sustainable N use and management plans in the region.