Extreme weather could increase risk of groundwater contamination, study finds – Times of India
NEW DELHI: Extreme weather events, including droughts and heavy rains driven by climate change, could increase the risk of nitrates from fertilisers in soil percolating down, thereby contaminating groundwater rapidly, according to a recent study. Previous studies have shown that about 40 per cent of nitrogen fertilisers used for vegetables is not absorbed by the plants, but remains in the soil. During droughts, crops do not use nitrogen efficiently, leading to excess nitrogen in the soil, researchers explained. This study, published in the journal Water Resources Research, found that sudden bursts of water from heavy rains following a drought caused nitrates -- a component of nitrogen fertiliser -- to seep 33 feet, or 10 metres, in as little as 10 days. "The conventional wisdom was that ...