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Phosphorus Loss by Stream Transport from a Rural Watershed: Quantities, Processes, and Sources
Author(s) -
Johnson Arthur H.,
Bouldin David R.,
Goyette Edward A.,
Hedges Anne M.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1976.00472425000500020008x
Subject(s) - watershed , surface runoff , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental science , manure , phosphorus , storm , sediment , fertilizer , washout , chemistry , geology , ecology , paleontology , oceanography , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , machine learning , computer science , biology
Loss of dissolved and particulate phosphorus by stream transport was determined over a 20‐month period for Fall Creek, a stream draining a predominantly rural watershed of 330 km 2 in central New York. Samples were taken several times daily during most high flow periods and at 3 to 20 day intervals during low flow periods. Samples were usually processed within 4 hours since redistribution of P among chemical forms was rapid. Losses of P from the watershed per unit time varied by several orders of magnitude and 75% of the P loss occurred in the highest flow which occurred in 10% of the time. In reaches well downstream from major point source inputs, dissolved inorganic P concentrations were highest during storm events due to two processes: desorption of P accumulated in the bed sediment from point source inputs during low flow, and inputs from diffuse sources in surface runoff. Dissolved organic P concentrations were not correlated with flow. Approximately 20% of the dissolved P lost from the watershed was derived from diffuse sources associated with farming, 45% was derived from natural geochemical processes, and 35% from point source inputs. Less than 1% of the P applied to the landscape in chemical fertilizer and manure was lost from the watershed in dissolved form.