Integrated Management of Water Quality

Diffuse pollution is now understood to be one of the major challenges in the management of the water environment across the world. These proceedings, from the third event sponsored by IAWQ's Diffuse Pollution Specialised Group, focus on the particular problems related to agricultural activity - its sources and techniques for its management. The latter half of this century has seen farming transformed, as production increased massively to meet the demands of a growing population. Changes in land use and large-scale irrigation have led to deforestation and soil erosion; traditional farming practices have been replaced by intensive monoculture, with heavy reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides; the increasing number and concentration of livestock has left animal wastes as a problem rather than a resource. Although agro-industrial practices are being rethought, with sustainability a key concept, agricultural diffuse pollution need to be addressed as a priority. The fourteen papers selected for these proceedings examine the reality of agricultural diffuse pollution in Europe, Asia and America. The impacts of nitrates and agrochemicals on soils, groundwater and surface catchments are described; monitoring and modelling studies are outlined; and the successes and failures of management programmes are assessed. Together they highlight the watershed-based management approaches and the sustainable agricultural practices that are needed.