P Stripping of Agricultural Runoff.ppt

P Stripping of Agricultural Runoff Or Integrated Runoff Management Plans for Farms Paul Quinn and Sebastian Tellier The Rural P Problem Surplus P in the land bank Saturation of P in the soil P losses associated with sediment losses High P in ditch and river sediments – a ‘conveyer belt’ Enough P to keep eutrophication risk high for the next 50 years WFD P– has no chance unless a more proactive approach is taken Addressing the problem Traditional approach Soil management and P applications Land use change OR a new paradigm P is locked into soil (soil amendment?) i.e for plant consumption only Stripped from the flow at source (in ponds and ditches) Suppress P impacts in rivers and lakes by scavenging P. Nutrient Export Risk Matrix IRMP Overall Vision To create an Integrated Runoff Management Plan (IRMP) for a demonstration site at Nafferton Farm, where a series of proactive measures will be taken to control runoff flow paths and the physical and chemical properties of the water before the flow enters the Whittle Burn – thus reducing flood peaks and diffuse pollution levels. IRMP Objectives To control overland flow runoff from intensely farmed fields by using strategically placed, within-field bioreactors/ponds; To reduce runoff from hardstandings by forcing flow back into fields containing bioreactors/ponds; To create a series of small and un-intrusive sediment traps within the ditch network and the sediment recovered and recycled to land; To create a phosphorus (P) stripping zone using ochre pellets (a recycled minewater treatment waste material). P saturated pellets, the trapped sediment and the ochre will be recycled back to land as fertilizer; To create a denitrifying potential to treat the bulk of the flow leaving Nafferton farm; To evaluate the potential of the storage and attenuation features to reduce the magnitude of flood risks as caused by UK farming systems. Nafferton Farm Study Pilot study 11 single bag ~ 25 kg ochre pellets P bag deploy