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Effectiveness of Integrated Best Management Practices on Mitigation of Atrazine and Metolachlor in an Agricultural Lake Watershed

Author:
Lizotte, Richard, Locke, Martin, Bingner, Ronald, Steinriede, R. Wade, Smith, Sammie
Source:
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 2017 v.98 no.4 pp. 447-453
ISSN:
0007-4861
Subject:
agricultural watersheds, application rate, atrazine, best management practices, conservation tillage, corn, cotton, cropping systems, lakes, land use, metolachlor, pesticide application, quails, rain, regression analysis, sediments, spring, weed control
Abstract:
The study examined the influence of land-use (cropping patterns) and integrated agricultural best management practices (BMPs) on spring herbicide levels in an agricultural watershed. Atrazine and metolachlor were applied for weed control during spring of 1998–2002, 2005, and 2007–2013. Watershed-wide mass of applied herbicides ranged from 12.7 to 209.2 g atrazine and 10.9–302.2 g metolachlor with greatest application during 1998, 2009–2010 (atrazine) and 2007–2013 (metolachlor). Spring herbicide concentrations in Beasley Lake water ranged from below detection to 3.54 μg atrazine/L and 3.01 μg metolachlor/L. Multiple linear regression analyses with cropping patterns, BMPs, rainfall and time as independent variables, showed atrazine applications were associated with increases in cotton acreage and quail buffer, while metolachlor applications increased over time. Multiple linear regressions showed lake atrazine concentrations were associated with conservation tillage, rainfall, and corn, while lake metolachlor concentrations were associated with the cumulative metolachlor application and sediment retention pond installation.
Agid:
5661751
Handle:
10113/5661751