GIS and RS based study of NPS pollution load assessment on regional scale is important to plan regional agricultural development with due consideration to environmental impact assessment. The quantification of NPS pollution generated in agricultural area in different villages in a district is difficult, since the source is distributed and sometimes non-approachable. Remote sensing analysis carried out in the present work for Nagpur district facilitates identification of agricultural areas in different parts of Nagpur district. The secondary data on rainfall, agricultural practices and fertilizer application rates is provides an estimate of nutrient load generated from agricultural areas in the different talukas.

Analysis of data considering its distribution i.e. distribution of load in various tehsils and transport with runoff is possible by preparing GIS based maps of the study area. Slope map as prepared in the present study indicates direction of runoff or direction of pollutant transport. Overlaying of slope map on base map showing agricultural areas in different Tehsils reveal that Saoner, Kalmeshwar, Kamptee, Maunda, Kuhi and Parseoni talukas contribute to surface water pollution and Narkher, Katol and Bhiwapur to soil pollution.

Narkher talukawith maximum agricultural area and high requirement of nutrients results into highest load generation and that the Ramtek talukawith hills and forest generates minimum load.

Area under Kharifand rabicrops in different talukas affect the pollution load generated and hence the nature of pollutographs. Pollutographs of Kharifseason indicate that 50 to 60% of pollutant load is transported with the runoff, whereas; in rabiseason 94% remains in soil and causes soil pollution. However, the estimate of load generated could not be validating against any observed or reported data and hence the model presented herein is an approach to estimate NPS loading. Application of model to other areas or sites of NPS generation would require site spscification data as well as model validation studies.