Modifications to the SWAT code for modelling direct pesticide losses

In different river catchments in Europe, pesticide concentrations in surface waters frequently exceed the standards, possibly resulting in negative impacts on aquatic fauna and flora. Pesticides can enter river systems both immediately after application, i.e. as a direct loss, or with some time delay due to runoff or leaching. We define a direct loss as the sum of point losses and drift losses on an application day that will reach the river immediately after or during application. Point losses are due to the clean-up of spray equipment, leaking tools, waste water treatment plants etc. Different studies demonstrated the importance of direct losses. In small river systems, their contribution accounts for 30 to 90% of the pesticide load to surface water. As many studies and models only partly take into account these direct losses or even not at all, we attempted to model the dynamic occurrence of pesticides also coming from these sources. For this purpose, some modifications and extensio...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2008
• Where: ENVSOFT
• Authors: K. Holvoet, A. van Griensven, V. Gevaert, P. Seuntjens, Peter A. Vanrolleghem
• Keywords: Direct Losses, ENVSOFT 2008, ENVSOFT 2010, Pesticide, Point Losses