Quantification of nitrate in a groundwater aquifer
Contact:
Partner:
- TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Fakulty of Geosciences, Geotechnices and Mining
- Saxony State Office for Environment and Geology
In the context of the project "Development of a Method for Spatial Quantification of Nitrate Contents in River Catchments (sections) as a Preparation for Action Programmes in Management Plans According to the EU-Water Framework Directive", the nitrate contents are to be spatially quantified for a body of groundwater which, according to the stock-taking of the EU Water Framework Directive, would most likely not achieve a good condition by the year 2015.
The preparatory arrangements for the soundings ensued under the auspices of the UFZ, such as the procurement of clearances (clarification talks with the owners, shaft certificates, warfare agent clearance), as well as the execution of the soundings themselves (34 samples, dispersed throughout the total body of groundwater) with groundwater sample-taking from temporary measuring stations and analysis of the groundwater samples for nitrate and ammonium (532 analyses in all). Furthermore, there was also a critical-day measurement. Coordination of the project was in the hands of the UFZ.
The Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg worked out the calculations necessary for production of the three-dimensional geo-hydraulic model. On the basis of both the generated data as well as the results from the soundings executed in the project, the development and completion of the model was accomplished.
The tasks carried out by the UFZ have shown that the groundwater sample-taking from temporary measuring sites by means of Direct Push-Technology can produce, quickly and at a reasonable price, the required findings, especially as regards the vertical distribution of nitrate. This groundwater sample-taking technology can hereby offer the opportunity to specifically ascertain the effectiveness of action-programmes of the EU-Water Framework Directive on site, and it can also be implemented for the support of ELER-sponsored agrarian-environmental measures at selected agricultural demonstration operations.