A review of rapid transport of pesticides from sloping farmland to surface waters: Processes and mitigation strategies

Pesticides applied to sloping farmland may lead to surface water contamination through rapid transport processes as influenced by the complex topography and high spatial variability of soil properties and land use in hilly or mountainous regions. However, the fate of pesticides applied to sloping farmland has not been sufficiently elucidated. This article reviews the current understanding of pesticide transport from sloping farmland to surface water. It examines overland flow and subsurface lateral flow in areas where surface soil is underlain by impervious subsoil or rocks and tile drains. It stresses the importance of quantifying and modeling the contributions of various pathways to rapid pesticide loss at catchment and regional scales. Such models could be used in scenario studies for evaluating the effectiveness of possible mitigation strategies such as constructing vegetated strips, depressions, wetlands and drainage ditches, and implementing good agricultural practices. Field monitoring studies should also be conducted to calibrate and validate the transport models as well as biophysical-economic models, to optimize mitigation measures in areas dominated by sloping farmland.