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Updated: Aug 9, 2026
06:42
Measuring Phosphorus Release in Laboratory Microcosms for Water Quality Assessment
Published on: July 22, 2019
Sediment and phosphorus transport in irrigation furrows
D L Bjorneberg1, D T Westermann, J K Aase
1USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research Laboratory, 3793 N. 3600 E., Kimberly, ID 83341, USA. bdavid@nwisrl.ars.usda.gov
Journal of Environmental Quality
|April 6, 2006
Summary
Controlling agricultural erosion is key to reducing phosphorus (P) loss in waterways. Sediment concentration significantly impacts total P transport, while dissolved reactive P dynamics are complex and influenced by flow hydraulics.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Environmental Science
- Soil Science
Background:
- Agricultural runoff, carrying sediment and phosphorus (P), degrades water quality in aquatic ecosystems.
- Effective management strategies are needed to mitigate P transfer from fields to water bodies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate factors influencing phosphorus transfer and transport in irrigated furrows under controlled conditions.
- To understand the relationship between sediment load, flow dynamics, and P concentrations in agricultural runoff.
Main Methods:
- Studied P transport in irrigated furrows on six fallow fields without rainfall interference.
- Monitored flow rate, sediment concentration, and total and dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) at multiple points along furrows.
- Analyzed correlations between P concentrations, sediment loads, and soil properties.
Main Results:
- Total phosphorus (P) concentrations directly correlated with sediment concentrations, with over 90% of transported P being particulate.
- Dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) concentrations increased with distance down the furrow but decreased over time at specific sites.
- DRP concentrations showed a stronger correlation with sediment concentration than with soil P, especially early in irrigation.
Conclusions:
- Erosion control is critical for reducing particulate phosphorus loss.
- Phosphorus transport in furrows is influenced by complex interactions between flow hydraulics, sediment load, and soil contact time.
- Non-equilibrium conditions and suspended sediment dynamics play a significant role in P transport, potentially overshadowing soil P levels.
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