Agricultural Diffuse Pollution and Sustainability in Ergene Basin

Abstract

Limited waters sources in the world are consumed rapidly, it has been seen that water sources should be examined with its basin holistically. When Ergene Basin is examined holistically, it seems to have agricultural area approximately 76% of the area and a significant production value (64% sunflower and 50% rice) in grain production in the country. When total consumption of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture are analyzed according to the years, an increase is observed.

In this study, it is aimed to determine the long term nutrient (total nitrogen- TN and total phosphorus- TP) loads and consumption of pesticides in Ergene Basin by years. For this purpose, nutrient loads from agricultural diffuse sources have been estimated by using chemical fertilizer amounts and conversion factors, animal numbers and emission factors. The loads from chemical and natural (animal) fertilizers are 26960 tons/year TN and 3650 tons/year TP in the year 2015. Also in this study, monitoring stations have been proposed for the determination of nutrients and other pollutants loads considering sub-basins and pollution sources for the water sources, air and soil can be monitored simultaneously.

When the effects of nutrient loads and pesticides at surface waters and soils in Ergene Basin are considered both ecologically and socio-economically, it has been identified that intended use of water sources was changed, agricultural and aquatic production was negatively affected by deteriorated ecological balance at surface water. Also, the diffuse pollution from agricultural sources causes soil contamination. Ecological and economic sustainability of Ergene Basin are considered to be under a certain threat.

Keywords

• Agricultural diffuse pollution,nutrient load,pesticide

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