Evaluating the impacts of climate change and crop land use change on streamflow, nitrates and phosphorus: A modeling study in Bavaria

• Climate change impacts deteriorate surface water quality by 2050 in the Altmühl.
• Impacts were amplified when land use change scenarios were considered with CC.
• TP and NO3−-N concentrations increase in the combined scenarios for each month.

Study regionBavaria, Germany.Study focusThe Altmühl River is prone to nutrient inputs from agricultural activities. Quantifying nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations due to potential future changes in the watershed is necessary for managing water quality and adhering to water policy directives. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to provide stakeholders with support in determining the impacts of climate change (CC) in combination with crop land use change (LUC) scenarios on streamflow, NO3−-N and TP to the 2050 time horizon. The CC simulations stemmed from RCMs and the LUC scenarios were developed with stakeholders.New hydrological insights for the regionWhen CC was combined with LUC, mean annual NO3−-N loads increased 3-fold, and TP loads 8-fold, compared to the CC simulations alone. Nutrient loads were higher in several months due to the future increased annual precipitation plus the additional fertilizer input in the land use scenarios. The maize areas above the Altmühl Lake contributed greatly to TP loads, while winter wheat areas mainly contributed to NO3−-N loads. When CC was combined with LUC, the in-stream nutrient concentrations exceeded ministerial guidelines of 11 mg TP/L and 0.05 mgNO3−-N/L every month at the outlet. CC simulations combined with LUC scenarios demonstrated non-linear dynamics whereby the direction and the magnitude of impacts were not predictable from the individual changes alone.