The long-term results of the Agricultural Runoff
Monitoring programme in Latvia
A. Lagzdins, A. Veinbergs, I. Siksnane, L. Grinberga
Dr.sc.ing., Professor
Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies
Department of Environmental Engineering and Water Management
e-mail: ainis.lagzdins@llu.lv

Agricultural Runoff Monitoring
Programme in Latvia
2
Based on systematic and regular water quality and
quantity monitoring activities this programme aims
to document and assess the current status and long-
term trends of nutrient concentrations and losses in
different spatial and temporal scales

The scales of monitoring activities:
3
• Groundwater (20 wells);
• Experimental subsurface drainage plots (1 site
with 16 plots and 5 treatments);
• Subsurface drainage fields (6 sites);
• Small catchments (10 sites);
• Small and medium size rivers (23 sites).

Agricultural nonpoint and point source
pollution monitoring sites
4

The river scale monitoring sites
5

Berze site for agricultural nonpoint source
pollution monitoring
6

7
Berze site – subsurface drainage field and
groundwater monitoring

8
Berze site –
V-notch weir

9
Mellupite site for agricultural nonpoint source
pollution monitoring

10
Mellupite site

Flooding in 2017
11

Flooding in 2017
12

13
Drought in 2018

Results: Discharge and NO3-N concentration
14

Results: Discharge and PO4-P concentration
15

Groundwater
16

Experimental plots – N application rate
17

Subsurface drainage field
18

Small catchment
19

Rivers of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones
20

Sub-catchments of the Berze River
21

Sub-catchments of the Berze River –
share of agricultural land
22

Sub-catchments of the Berze River –
share of forests and natural areas
23

The scales of monitoring at the Berze site –
TN and TP concentrations
24
0.5
10.4
8.2
5.4
2.9
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
BG-2 BerzeDr BerzeSc Alave Livberze
TN
concentration,
mg
l
-1
Scale of monitoring
0.019
0.058
0.147
0.073
0.053
0
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.1
0.12
0.14
0.16
BG-2 BerzeDr BerzeSc Alave Livberze
TP
concentration,
mg
l
-1
Scale of monitoring

The scales of monitoring at the Mellupite site –
TN and TP concentrations
25
0.6
11.3
4.2
7.1
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
MG-3 MC-120 MelipiteDr MelipiteSc
TN
concentration,
mg
l
-1
Scale of monitoring
0.012
0.037
0.065
0.063
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.07
MG-3 MC-120 MelipiteDr MelipiteSc
TP
concentration,
mg
l
-1
Scale of monitoring

Thank you for your attention!
Questions or comments?