Sediment phosphorus dynamics for three tile fed drainage ditches in Northeast Indiana

Phosphorus (P) losses from agricultural lands degrade surface waters due to anthropogenic eutrophication. Previous studies focused on plot-to-field scale P loss and reductions from best management practices (BMP's), little information in intense agricultural catchments has been gathered on the dynamics influencing P beyond the edge of the field. This study was conducted to examine the phosphorus equilibrium between the water column and sediments in three tile fed drainage ditches in Northeast Indiana. Surface water and sediment samples were collected and analyzed for organic carbon (C), particle size and P from sites along three ditches with similar soils and land use at sites within each watershed draining approximately 300 and 1500 ha on each ditch. Organic C, silt and clay fractions of the bottom sediments decreased with increasing drainage area. Soluble P concentrations were low in Ditch A, but increased with increasing drainage area (0.02–0.05 mg P L −1). Overall, the P concentrations were higher in the Ditches B and C (0.06–0.09 mg P L −1). Exchangeable P, P partitioning index and equilibrium P concentrations (EPC o) decreased with increasing drainage area by as much as 95, 93 and 100%, respectively, except in one catchment area with a confined animal feeding operation between sampling points, where ExP and EPC o increased by 4 and 116%, respectively. Aluminum sulfate and calcium carbonate treatment of ditch sediments reduced exchangeable P and sediment EPC o in this study. Results from this study indicated some watershed characteristics, as well as sediment physiochemical properties, affect ditch sediment and water P equilibrium and buffering capacity. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that managers could potentially use chemical treatment of the ditches to increase the temporary retention of P in ditches and maybe reducing sediment P availability.