The controversial role of tile drainage in phosphorus export from agricultural land

Field drainage, in the form of permanently installed pipes or temporary mole drains, is extensively used in Britain to reduce the incidence of waterlogging, and increase the length of the grazing season. Whereas the installation of artificial drams sigmficantly improves the structural stability of the soil, water quality m recipient streams may be adversely affected by the accelerated rate of nutnent transport, and the circumvention of critical storage areas such as buffer zones. This research investigates the importance of phosphorus (P) loss in tile drainage for a mixed agricultural catchment (120 ha) in the UK. Phosphorus concentrations in drain discharge were low (