Sousa, M.R., D.L. Rudolph, N.R. Thomson, B. Conant Jr, 2009. Predicting Effects of Agricultural Beneficial Management Practices on Water Supply Wells using Numerical Modelling, Proceeding from the 62nd Canadian Geotechnical Conference and the 10th Joint CGS/IAH-CNC Groundwater Conference, Halifax, NS, Sept. 20-23.

Agricultural Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) were implemented within the capture zone of water supply wells at a field site in southern Ontario, Canada, in an attempt to reduce nitrate concentrations in wells impacted by non-point source contamination. A 3-dimensional, variably-saturated, flow and transport model (FEFLOW) was subsequently applied and predicted the effects of current and future BMP scenarios on the water quality. Simulations indicate reductions in nutrient applications can reduce nitrate concentrations in the supply wells.  Complex glacial deposits and large depths to water influenced the timing and magnitude of the simulated improvements.