ASABE Technical Library - Abstract

Click on “Download PDF” for the PDF version or on the title for the HTML version.
If you are not an ASABE member or if your employer has not arranged for access to the full-text, view access and subscription options

POTENTIAL NUTRIENT LOADINGS FROM ON-SITE SYSTEMS TO WATERSHEDS

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  Paper number  701P0104,  . (doi: 10.13031/2013.15803)
Authors:   S. Pradhan, M. T. Hoover, R. Austin and H. A. Devine
Keywords:   On-site system, nitrogen, phosphorus, nutrients, river basins, sub-basins, watersheds

The potential nutrient loadings from on-site septic systems to North Carolinas river basins have long been ignored. Yet the potential for these systems to have significant impact exists. Based on the 1990 census, 1,365,536 households utilized on-site systems in North Carolina alone. This study developed a procedure to quantify the potential nutrient loadings from on-site systems within North Carolinas watersheds and major sub-basins of those watersheds. Two analysis products are displayed; 1) a distribution map of septic system densities by sub-watershed classified by USEPA density standards developed in 1977 and 2) a potential nutrient loading map. Both of these analyses used an area weighted GIS procedure to develop these estimates. Septic system density ranged from 5 to 20 systems km-2 at a river basin level and 2 to 115 systems km-2 at a sub-basin level. The Yadkin River basin had the highest potential nutrient loading of 3,283,069 kg yr-1 of which 2,879,885 kg yr-1 was nitrogen loading and 403,184 kg yr-1 was phosphorus loading. Results obtained from this study can be compared with the potential nutrient loadings obtained from other non-point sources such as agriculture, forestry and urban land use.

(Download PDF)    (Export to EndNotes)