Spatial characteristics of total phosphorus loads from different sources in the Lancang River Basin

Lancang River, the upstream reach of Mekong River, is a hotspot region in the sustainable management of water resources and environment as it is currently facing the deterioration of aquatic ecosystems. Nutrient balance (i.e., Phosphorus) in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin has become a highly disputed issue in recent years due to the construction of cascade hydropower stations. However, the estimation of the total phosphorus (TP) load faces great difficulties and challenges due to the absent measured water quality data. This study estimates the TP load based on the social economic data, analyzes the spatial distribution of TP and the contribution of different TP sources in the Lancang River basin under the level of social-economic development in 2014. Results show that the annual average TP load in the Lancang River Basin is 1.6 × 10⁴-3.9 × 10⁴ tons, which is at a very low level compared with other large-scale basins in China. The TP load from natural soil erosion dominates all other sources, accounting for 69%, followed by agricultural production and fertilization. In general, the TP load increases from upstream to downstream, but heterogeneity also exits in different regions under the influence of various factors, such as rainfall intensity, soil properties and human activities. The results reveal a holistic picture of TP load in the Lancang River Basin, which could provide a new perspective on the trans-border international river management.