NRSA2324 Nitrate Isotope Ratios Dataset

EPA’s National Aquatic Resource Surveys has identified excess nitrogen in surface waters as a common stressor in the nations water.  However, understanding the origin of the nitrogen, and what processes might mitigate the transport of nitrogen to surface waters is critical to help address this common stressor. Stable isotopes of nitrogen integrate both source and process information, and could be a useful indicator for the NARS surveys.  Here, we developed a dataset of nitrate stable isotope ratios (d15N and d18O) from surface waters with nitrate concentrations greater than 2 mg-N/L from the National Rivers and Streams Assessment conducted in 2023 and 2024. 

Impact/Purpose

EPA’s National Aquatic Resource Surveys have identified excess nitrogen in surface waters as a common stressor in the nations water.  However, understanding the origin of the nitrogen, and what processes might mitigate the transport of nitrogen to surface waters is critical to help address this common stressor. Stable isotopes of nitrogen integrate both source and process information, and could be a useful indicator for the NARS surveys.  Here, we developed a dataset of nitrate stable isotope ratios (d15N and d18O) from surface waters with nitrate concentrations greater than 2 mg-N/L from the National Rivers and Streams Assessment conducted in 2023 and 2024. 

Citation

Brooks, R., L. Trine, A. Nahlik, J. Compton, AND Catrina Nowakowski. NRSA2324 Nitrate Isotope Ratios Dataset. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, 2025. [DOI: 10.23719/1532320]

DOI: NRSA2324 Nitrate Isotope Ratios Dataset