Articles | Volume 29, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1829-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1829-2025
Research article
 | 
07 Apr 2025
Research article |  | 07 Apr 2025

Multivariate and long-term time series analysis to assess the effect of nitrogen management policy on groundwater quality in Wallonia, BE

Elise Verstraeten, Alice Alonso, Louise Collier, and Marnik Vanclooster

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Cited articles

Aller, L., Lehr, J. H., Petty, R., and Bennett, T.: Drastic: A Standardized System to Evaluate Groundwater Pollution Potential using Hydrogeologic Setting, J. Geol. Soc. Ind., 29, 23–37, https://doi.org/10.17491/jgsi/1987/290112, 1987. 
Ascott, M. J., Gooddy, D. C., Wang, L., Stuart, M. E., Lewis, M. A., Ward, R. S., and Binley, A. M.: Global patterns of nitrate storage in the vadose zone, Nat. Commun., 8, 1–7, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-01321-w, 2017. 
Bah, B., Vandenberghe, C., and Colinet, G.: Méthodologie de diagnostic environnemental autour de captages d'eau potabilisable sensibles qualitativement du point de vue nitrate & application à six sites de la société wallonne des eaux. Rapport d'activités final, Partie GRENERA, Convention S.P.G.E. – SWDE, 1–149 pp., 2015. 
Basu, N., Van Meter, K., Byrnes, D., Van Cappellen, P., Brouwer, R., Jacobsen, B., Jarsjö, J., Rudolph, D., Cunha, M., Nelson, N., Bhattacharya, R., Destouni, G., and Olsen, S. B.: Managing nitrogen legacies to accelerate water quality improvement, Nat. Geosci., 15, 97–105, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-021-00889-9, 2022. 
Batlle Aguilar, J., Orban, P., Dassargues, A., and Brouyère, S.: Identification of groundwater quality trends in a chalk aquifer threatened by intensive agriculture in Belgium, Hydrogeol. J., 15, 1615–1627, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-007-0204-y, 2007. 
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Short summary
This study takes a data-driven approach to evaluate long-term groundwater nitrate concentration trends in Wallonia, Belgium, over ~20 years following the implementation of regional nitrogen management policies. Results highlight a persistently negative impact of agricultural land use, the importance of sustained policies and long-term monitoring to mitigate nitrogen legacy effects, and the need for improved datasets to better capture controlling factors. 
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