Abstract
Water resources protection co-occurring with intensive agriculture brings major challenges in Europe including groundwater contamination with nitrate (NO3−). Due to non-compliance with the EU Nitrates Directive, some intensively agricultural member states have been penalized by European jurisdiction, putting them under great pressure to reduce groundwater NO3− concentrations. This review summarizes the situation of groundwater NO3− pollution in Germany, Denmark and Ireland, critically compares the measures taken to improve it, and identifies potentials for improvement and mutual learning. Denmark is often considered a leader in the field with the NO3− countermeasures program being continuously developed since 1985. However, impacts on agriculture productivity and crop quality are evident. Ireland also considers NO3− one of the most serious water quality problems, but differs in hydrogeological setting and drinking water management. Climate change is expected to massively aggravate challenges to all affected countries by causing scarcity of water resources and increasing the pressure on water quality.
Zusammenfassung
Der Schutz der Wasserressourcen in Verbindung mit intensiver Landwirtschaft und daraus folgenden Nitratbelastungen bringt in Europa große Herausforderungen mit sich. Aufgrund der Nichteinhaltung der EU-Nitratrichtlinie wurden einige Mitgliedstaaten mit intensiver Landwirtschaft von der europäischen Rechtsprechung bestraft, was sie unter großen Druck setzt, die Nitratkonzentrationen im Grundwasser zu reduzieren. Diese Übersichtsarbeit fasst die Situation der Nitratverschmutzung des Grundwassers in Deutschland, Dänemark und Irland zusammen, vergleicht kritisch die Maßnahmen, die zur Verbesserung ergriffen wurden, und zeigt Potenziale für Verbesserungen und gegenseitiges Lernen auf. Dänemark gilt als führend auf diesem Gebiet, da das Nitratmaßnahmenprogramm seit 1985 kontinuierlich weiterentwickelt wird. Auswirkungen auf die landwirtschaftliche Produktivität und Erntequalität sind jedoch offensichtlich. Auch Irland betrachtet NO3− als ein entscheidendes Wasserqualitätsproblem, unterscheidet sich jedoch in hydrogeologischer Gegebenheit und Trinkwasserbewirtschaftung. Es wird erwartet, dass der Klimawandel die Herausforderungen für alle betroffenen Länder massiv verschärfen wird, da dieser zu einer Verknappung der Wasserressourcen führt und den Druck auf die Wasserqualität erhöht.
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The principal author would like to thank the RUB Research School for the postdoctoral fellowship (2021_01_GF17) received, as this publication was written during the period of its funding.
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Ortmeyer, F., Hansen, B. & Banning, A. Groundwater nitrate problem and countermeasures in strongly affected EU countries—a comparison between Germany, Denmark and Ireland. Grundwasser - Zeitschrift der Fachsektion Hydrogeologie 28, 3–22 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00767-022-00530-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00767-022-00530-5