Phosphorus and nitrogen loading depths in fluvial sediments following manure spill simulations

Armstrong, S. D., Smith, D. R., Owens, P. R., Joern, B. C., Leytem, A. B., Huang, C.H. and Adeola, L. 2011. Phosphorus and nitrogen loading depth in fluvial sediments following manure spill simulations. Can. J. Soil Sci. 91: 427–436. The depth of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loading in fluvial sediments following a manure spill has not been documented. Thus, the objectives of this study were: (i) to determine the depth of N and P enrichment as a result of a manure spill under base flow conditions using fluvarium techniques and (ii) to evaluate the impact of sediment particle size distribution on N and P enrichment depth. Manure spills were simulated using stream simulators and ditch sediments collected from agricultural drainage ditches. During the manure spill simulation, the P sorption capacity of all sediments exponentially decreased with time and the NH 4 -N sorption capacity remained constant with time. The P and NH 4 -N loading in all sediments were observed to the depth of 2 cm, but were most concentrated in the 0- to 1-cm depth ranging in concentrations from 3 to 12 mg P kg −1 and from 7.2 to 45 mg NH 4 -N kg −1 . Data from this study give a basis for the advancement of manure spill remediation that will reduce the impairment of surface waters via the release of nutrients from enriched sediments following a manure spill.