Haruvy, N., Institute of Soils and Water, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, P.O.Box 6, Bet Dagan, Israel Hadas, A., Institute of Soils and Water, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, P.O.Box 6, Bet Dagan, Israel Ravina, I., Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, The Technion, Haifa, Israel Shalhevet, S., Institute of Soils and Water, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, P.O.Box 6, Bet Dagan, Israel
Modern agriculture serves as a source for groundwater pollution caused by nitrate leaching carried downward by seepage of excess water. Farmers do not usually consider these environmental hazards in their decision-making unless forced to by market or administrative measures. We compare the possibilities open to individual farmers and to the state, assess consequent environmental hazards to groundwater, and suggest appropriate measures to control them. Estimation is based on an optimization model applied to the central area of Israel located above the coastal aquifer.Modern agriculture serves as a source for groundwater pollution caused by nitrate leaching carried downward by seepage of excess water. Farmers do not usually consider these environmental hazards in their decision-making unless forced to by market or administrative measures. We compare the possibilities open to individual farmers and to the state, assess consequent environmental hazards to groundwater, and suggest appropriate measures to control them. Estimation is based on an optimization model applied to the central area of Israel located above the coastal aquifer.An economic assessment procedure has been formulated to assess the costs of averting groundwater pollution in Israel. The model is outlined, which yields optimal cultivated areas for each crop and the treatment level for each month. As illustration, the model is applied to the area of Hemek Heffer, and input data include treatment plant facilities, water sources, and agricultural crops. The value of the damage is estimated as the cost needed to treat irrigation water containing excess nitrates to reduce groundwater contamination. Results show that the total damage is lowest for corn and highest for avocado. Decreasing the nitrogen level to 20 mg/l reduces the adverse environmental effects and increases the yield of field crops. (from Int Assoc on Water Qual/et al 7th Int Conf on Israel Society for Ecology and Environ Quality Sciences, Jerusalem (Jun 13-18, 99)).
Haruvy, N., Institute of Soils and Water, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, P.O.Box 6, Bet Dagan, Israel Hadas, A., Institute of Soils and Water, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, P.O.Box 6, Bet Dagan, Israel Ravina, I., Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, The Technion, Haifa, Israel Shalhevet, S., Institute of Soils and Water, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, P.O.Box 6, Bet Dagan, Israel
Cost assessment of averting groundwater pollution
Modern agriculture serves as a source for groundwater pollution caused by nitrate leaching carried downward by seepage of excess water. Farmers do not usually consider these environmental hazards in their decision-making unless forced to by market or administrative measures. We compare the possibilities open to individual farmers and to the state, assess consequent environmental hazards to groundwater, and suggest appropriate measures to control them. Estimation is based on an optimization model applied to the central area of Israel located above the coastal aquifer.Modern agriculture serves as a source for groundwater pollution caused by nitrate leaching carried downward by seepage of excess water. Farmers do not usually consider these environmental hazards in their decision-making unless forced to by market or administrative measures. We compare the possibilities open to individual farmers and to the state, assess consequent environmental hazards to groundwater, and suggest appropriate measures to control them. Estimation is based on an optimization model applied to the central area of Israel located above the coastal aquifer.An economic assessment procedure has been formulated to assess the costs of averting groundwater pollution in Israel. The model is outlined, which yields optimal cultivated areas for each crop and the treatment level for each month. As illustration, the model is applied to the area of Hemek Heffer, and input data include treatment plant facilities, water sources, and agricultural crops. The value of the damage is estimated as the cost needed to treat irrigation water containing excess nitrates to reduce groundwater contamination. Results show that the total damage is lowest for corn and highest for avocado. Decreasing the nitrogen level to 20 mg/l reduces the adverse environmental effects and increases the yield of field crops. (from Int Assoc on Water Qual/et al 7th Int Conf on Israel Society for Ecology and Environ Quality Sciences, Jerusalem (Jun 13-18, 99)).