Risk Assessment of Pesticide Runoff from Turf

• Published in: Journal of environmental quality Vol. 32; no. 2; pp. 447 - 455
• Main Authors: Haith, Douglas A, Rossi, Frank S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society 01.03.2003; Crop Science Society of America; American Society of Agronomy
• Subjects: Agrostis; Agrostis stolonifera; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Annual runoff; Applied ecology; Applied sciences; Aquatic organisms; Biological and medical sciences; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Fresh water environment; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungicides; Golf; Golf courses; Insecticides; Lethal Dose 50; Models, Theoretical; Natural water pollution; Pesticides; Pesticides - analysis; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Rainwaters, run off water and others; Risk Assessment; Runoff; Surface water; Turf; Water Movements; Water Pollutants - analysis; Water treatment and pollution; New York; United States; North America; Massachusetts; America; Pennsylvania; USA, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; USA, Pennsylvania, Philadephia; USA, Massachusetts, Boston; USA, New York, Rochester; Freshwater environment; Turf; Pollutant behavior; Runoff; Environment impact; Pesticides; Numerical simulation; Risk analysis; Herbicide; Golf course
• ISSN: 0047-2425; 1537-2537
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq2003.4470

The TurfPQ model was used to simulate the runoff of 15 pesticides commonly applied to creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) fairways and greens on golf courses in the northeastern USA. Simulations produced 100-yr daily records of water runoff, pesticide runoff, and pesticide concentration in runoff for three locations: Boston, MA, Philadelphia, PA, and Rochester, NY. Results were summarized as annual and monthly means and annual maximum daily loads (AMDLs) corresponding to 10- and 20-yr return periods. Mean annual pesticide runoff loads did not exceed 3% of annual applications for any pesticide or site, and most losses were substantially less than 1% of application. However, annual or monthly mean concentrations of chlorothalonil, iprodione, and PCNB in fairway runoff often exceeded concentrations that result in 50% mortality of the affected species (LC50) for aquatic organisms. Concentrations of azoxystrobin, bensulide, cyfluthrin, and trichlorfon in extreme (1 in 10 yr or 1 in 20 yr) events often approached or exceeded LC50 levels. Concentrations of halofenozide, mancozeb, MCPP, oxadiazon, propiconazole, thiophanate-methyl, triadimefon, and trinexapac-ethyl were well below LC50 levels, and turf runoff of these chemicals does not appear to be hazardous to aquatic life in surface waters.