Reducing elevated nitrate in groundwater is a major challenge to regulators and abstractors given Water Framework Directive timescales. Real-time monitoring of nitrate at farm wells in the Cotswolds close to the groundwater divide has provided valuable insights into the potential sources and pathways at a location where groundwater exceeds drinking water standards. Continuous monitoring has revealed distinctive rising and falling patterns both diurnally (<mg l−1) and following rainfall events (>mg l−1). This has led to improved apportionment of the nitrate loading within the local hydrogeological system, which in turn may help to target where reductions to nitrate concentrations could be made.

Thematic collection: This article is part of the Measurement and monitoring collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/measurement-and-monitoring

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