Advancing the Food-Energy–Water Nexus: Closing Nutrient Loops in Arid River Corridors
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Closing nutrient loops in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems is integral to achieve resource security in the food-energy-water (FEW) nexus. We performed multiyear (2005-2008), monthly sampling of instream dissolved inorganic nutrient concentrations (NH4-N, NO3-N, soluble reactive phosphorus-SRP) along a ∼ 300-km arid-land river (Rio Grande, NM) and generated nutrient budgets to investigate how the net source/sink behavior of wastewater and irrigated agriculture can be holistically managed to improve water quality and close nutrient loops. Treated wastewater on average contributed over 90% of the instream dissolved inorganic nutrients (101 kg/day NH4-N, 1097 kg/day NO3-N, 656 kg/day SRP). During growing seasons, the irrigation network downstream of wastewater outfalls retained on average 37% of NO3-N and 45% of SRP inputs, with maximum retention exceeding 60% and 80% of NO3-N and SRP inputs, respectively. Accurate quantification of NH4-N retention was hindered by low loading and high variability. Nutrient retention in the irrigation network and instream processes together limited downstream export during growing seasons, with total retention of 33-99% of NO3-N inputs and 45-99% of SRP inputs. From our synoptic analysis, we identify trade-offs associated with wastewater reuse for agriculture within the scope of the FEW nexus and propose strategies for closing nutrient loops in arid-land rivers.
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Irrigation ditches can convey nutrients up gradient to land and municipal water systems.
“Similarly, irrigation ditches can convey nutrients up gradient to land and municipal water systems 135 .”
From Lines in the landscape (2025) · cites this paper as [135]
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- Authors
- Mortensen, J. G., González-Pinzón, R., Dahm, C. N., Wang, J., Zeglin, L. H., & Van Horn, D. J.
- Affiliations
- University of New Mexico (US)
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131 United States
- Kansas State University (US)
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131 United States
- Corresponding author
- Mortensen, Jacob G.
- Venue
- Environmental Science & Technology
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2016-08-02
- Volume
- 50
- Issue
- 16
- Pages
- 8485-8496
- ISSN
- 0013-936X (ISSN-L)
- 1520-5851
- OpenAlex
- W2504698008
- Cited by
- 44
- References
- 77
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 3
- FWCI
- 2.83
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- Locations
- Environmental Science & Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UNM’s Digital Repository (University of New Mexico) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Division of Human Resource Development (HRD-1345169)
- Office of Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPS-0814449)
- National Science Foundation
- Division of Environmental Biology (DEB-0620482)
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Water Science and Technology › Water-Energy-Food Nexus Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Waste Management and Disposal › Wastewater Treatment and Reuse
- Keywords
- water-energy-food nexus, nutrient balance, Rio Grande, treated wastewater, irrigation water, nitrate retention, soluble reactive phosphorus, ammonium, water reuse, water quality, nutrient export
- MeSH terms
- Agriculture, Environmental Monitoring, Fertilizers, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Seasons, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Rivers, Agricultural Irrigation, Wastewater
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