Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) play a critical role in reducing nutrient runoff from farmlands to downstream waterbodies, yet their performance is increasingly challenged by a rapidly changing climate. In this Science Talk, Dr. Elmira Hassanzadeh will evaluate whether widely implemented BMPs can continue to safeguard water quality under future climate conditions. Focusing on an agriculture-dominated watershed in the Canadian Prairies, the talk demonstrates that projected nutrient loads are likely to surpass the mitigation capacity of current BMPs, even when deployed at full implementation levels.
To investigate these vulnerabilities more deeply, the presentation focuses on wetlands, one of the most commonly used nature-based BMPs worldwide. Although wetlands are often assumed to function as consistent nutrient sinks, spatiotemporal monitoring of a terminal wetland in Quebec reveals substantial seasonal and spatial heterogeneity, with different segments intermittently acting as nitrogen sources or sinks. These complex dynamics are largely absent from existing water quality models, highlighting key gaps in current impact assessment frameworks.
This Science Talk underscores the urgent need for enhanced monitoring systems and next-generation modeling tools capable of capturing the dynamic behavior of BMPs under evolving climatic conditions. Strengthening these scientific foundations is essential for developing effective, climate-resilient strategies for regional water quality management.
Speaker
Dr. Elmira Hassanzadeh
