Articles | Volume 23, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-1355-2019
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-1355-2019
Research article
 | 
11 Mar 2019
Research article |  | 11 Mar 2019

Sources and fate of nitrate in groundwater at agricultural operations overlying glacial sediments

Sarah A. Bourke, Mike Iwanyshyn, Jacqueline Kohn, and M. Jim Hendry

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Interactive discussion

Status: closed
Status: closed
AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
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Peer-review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision
ED: Reconsider after major revisions (further review by editor and referees) (07 Sep 2018) by Bill X. Hu
AR by Sarah Bourke on behalf of the Authors (19 Oct 2018)  Author's response   Manuscript 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (21 Oct 2018) by Bill X. Hu
RR by Anonymous Referee #3 (11 Nov 2018)
RR by Anonymous Referee #1 (26 Nov 2018)
RR by Anonymous Referee #4 (05 Dec 2018)
ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (review by editor) (16 Dec 2018) by Bill X. Hu
AR by Sarah Bourke on behalf of the Authors (26 Dec 2018)  Author's response   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (21 Jan 2019) by Bill X. Hu
AR by Sarah Bourke on behalf of the Authors (31 Jan 2019)
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Short summary
Agricultural operations can result in nitrate contamination of groundwater, lakes and streams. At two confined feeding operations in Alberta, Canada, nitrate in groundwater from temporary manure piles and pens exceeded nitrate from earthen manure storages. Identified denitrification reduced agriculturally derived nitrate concentrations in groundwater by at least half. Infiltration to groundwater systems where nitrate can be naturally attenuated is likely preferable to off-farm export via runoff.