Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Lake Champlain: Partnerships and Research in the New Millennium pp 97–121Cite as

Temporal and Spatial Variability in Non-Point Source Phosphorus in Relation to Agricultural Production and Terrestrial Indicators: The Beaver Brook Case Study, Pike River Basin, Québec

  • Conference paper

Abstract

The phosphorus (P) transfer system within the Beaver Brook watershed, a small agricultural watershed (11 km2) tributary to the Pike River, was described through outlet monitoring and spatially discrete sampling of upstream subwatersheds. Spatial variability of P exports was related to the type of agricultural production system and to the attributes of the landscape. Over the three years of study, mean annual exports of dissolved reactive soluble (DRP), bioavailable (BioP) and total phosphorus (TP) from the watershed were 0.57, 0.93 and 1.54 kg-P ha−1, respectively. These export loads were temporally episodic in nature: 75% of total P exports occurred within 6% of the monitoring period. These episodes occurred during peak streamflow events and under late-winter/early-spring conditions when overland runoff was generated through snowmelt or precipitation on thawing or saturated soils. Under base flow conditions, the flux-stream discharge relationship indicated that TP point sources contributed about 5% of annual exports. During elevated streamflow conditions, high bioavailability and particulate ratio of P exports indicated in-stream P storage and transformation mechanisms, as well as a significant contribution of subsurface P transport to the main stream channel. The majority of spatial P concentration patterns could be explained on the basis of the runoff curve number, and the localisation of the subwatershed within the landscape. Under comparable levels of hydrological activity, significant differences in subwatershed water quality were explained by typical agronomic (source) indicators, namely P budget. The implications for farm and land management are that for a tangible reduction in P exports to occur, the importance of considering both runoff and nutrient management must be stressed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Baker, B. and R.P. Richards. 2002. Phosphorus budgets and riverine phosphorus export in northwestern Ohio watersheds. J. Environ. Qual. 31: 96–108.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beauchemin, S., R.R. Simard et D. Cluis. 1998. Forms and concentration of phosphorus in drainage water of twenty-seven tile-drained soils. J. Environ. Qual. 27: 721–728.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beaudet, P. 2002. La fertilisation et la gestion du risque agroenvironnemental. In Ordre des agronomes du Québec (ed. Cd-rom) Colloque sur le phosphore: une gestion éclairée. 20 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bevin, K. and E.F. Wood. 1983. Subwatershed geomorphology and the dynamics of runoff contributing areas. J. Hydrol., 65: 139–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bolinder, M.A., Simard, R.R., Beauchemin, S., and K.B. MacDonald. 1998. Indicator of risk of water contamination: methodology for the phosphorus component. Agriculture et agro-alimentaire Canada. Rapport interne Na 24, 30p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brunelle A. and V. Savoie. 2000. Guide des pratiques de conservation en grandes cultures. Module 7-B: Diagnostic et correction des problèmes de drainage. Conseil des productions végétales du Québec. 32 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Budd, L.F. and D.W. Meals. 1994. Lake Champlain non-point source pollution assessment. Lake Champlain basin program Technical Report 6A and 6B. Grand Isle, Vermont.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cann, D.B., P. Lajoie and P.C. Stobbe. 1948. Soil survey of Shefford, Brome and Missisquoi counties in the province of Quebec. King’s printer, Ottawa, Ont.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caumartin, J. and R. Vincent. 1994. Diagnostic environnemental de la Rivière-aux-Brochets. Ministère de l’environnement et de la faune du Québec. Québec, Qc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Centre d’expertises hydriques du Québec. 2000. Logiciel de traitement de données hydrométriques BDH, version 1. 0. Québec, Qc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Côté, D. 2002. When Optimized Manure Management Leads to Fertile Soil, Healthy Air and Pure Water. Lake Champlain Research Consortium, Symposium 2002: Lake Champlain in the new millennium. Saint-Jeansur-Richelieu, Québec.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deslandes, J., A.R. Michaud, and F. Bonn. 2003. Use of GIS and remote sensing to develop indicators of phosphorus non-point source pollution in the Pike river basin. In: T. Manley and P. Manley, ed., Lake Champlain in the new millennium. Kluwer academic/plenum pub. New York NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dorioz, J.M., E.A. Cassell, A. Orand and K.G. Eisenman. 1998. Phosphorus storage, transport and export dynamics in the Foron river watershed. Hydr. Process. 12 (2): 285–309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dorioz, J.M., E. Pilleboue and A. Ferhi. 1989. Dynamique du phosphore dans les bassins versants: importance des phénomènes de retention dans les sediments. Water Res., 23(2), 147–158.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dorioz, J.M. and A. Ferhi. 1993. Non-point pollution and management of agricultural areas: phosphorus and nitrogen transfer in an agricultural watershed. Wat. Res. 28(2): 395–410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dorioz, J-M. and P. Blanc. 2001. Maîtrise de la charge externe en phosphore des plans d’eau et fonctionnement des basins versants. In: L’eau dans l’espace coral, vie et milieu aquatiques. INRA editions, 113–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gangbazo, G. 1991. Effets des évènements hydrologiques sur la perte d’azote et de phosphore suite à l’épandage de lisier de porc. PhD Thesis, Institut National de la Recherche Scintifique (INRS-EAU). 324 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gangbazo, G. et F. Babin. 2000. Pollution de l’eau des rivières dans les bassins versants agricoles. Vecteur environnement. 33–4: 47–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gangbazo, G., D. Cluis and E. Buon. 2002. Suspended sediments and phosphorus transport in an agricultural watershed. Vecteur Environnement 35: 44–53.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gburek, W.J., A.N. Sharpley, L. Heathwaite and G.J. Folmar. 2000a. Phosphorus management at watershed scale: a modification of the phosphorus index. J. Env. QuaL 29: 130–144.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gburek, W.J., A.N. Sharpley and GJ. Folmar. 2000b. Critical areas of phosphorus export from agricultural watersheds, In A.N. Sharpley, Ed., Agriculture and phosphorus management: the Chesapeake bay, Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, Florida.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giroux, M., and T.S. Tran. 1996. Critères agronomiques et environnementaux liés à la disponibilité, la solubilité et la saturation en phosphore des sols agricoles du Québec. Agrosol 9 (2): 51–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giroux, M., D. Carrier and P. Beaudet. 1996. Problématique et méthode de gestion des charges de phosphore appliquées aux sols agricoles en provenance des engrais de ferme. Agrosol 9 (1): 36–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giroux, M. and P. Enright. 2002. Concentrations et charges d’azote et de phosphore perdues dans les drains souterrains selon les cultures et les modes de fertilisation. Site de Saint-Lambert-de-Lauzon. Cahiers de l’observatoire de la qualité des sols du Québec, Institut de recherche et de développement en agroenvironnement Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grabow, G.L., J. Spooner, L.A. Lombardo, and D.E. Lione. 1999. Detecting water quality changes before and after BMP implementation: Use of SAS for statistical analyses. NEQEP Notes, Na 93, North Carolina State Water Quality Group Newsletter, NCSU, Raleigh, NC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grando, S. 1996. Effets de deux modes d’épandage de lisier de porc sur la qualité de l’eau de ruissellement. Mémoire de fin d’études, ENITA de Bordeaux. 64 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, E.A., L.S. Clesceri and A.D. Eaton. 1992a. Total Suspended Solids Dried at 103–105 °C. Standard method for examination of waste and waster water, 18th edition, pp 2–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, E.A., L.S. Clesceri and A.D. Eaton. 1992b. Persulfate Digestion Method. Standard method for examination of waste and waster water, 18th edition, pp 4–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grenon, L., J,-M. Cossette, M. Deschênes and L. Lamontagne. 1999. Etude pédologique du comté de Rouville, Québec. Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada, Direction générale de la recherche, Centre de recherche et de développement sur les sols et les grands cultures. 264 pages.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haygarth, P.M. and S.C. Jarvis. 1999. Transfer of phosphorus from agricultural soils. Adv. Agron. 66: 195–249.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, P.A. and T.L. Miller. 2002. Lessons from the National Water-Quality Assesment. J. Soil Water Conserv. 57:164-A-24A.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hegman, W., D. Wang et X.C. Borer. 1999. Estimation of Lake Champlain basin wide non-point source phosphorus export. Technical report Na. 31. Lake Champlain Basin Program publication series.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hydrologic, 2003. Levelmeter an recorder LPN 8. Hydrologic Co. Saint-Martin d’Heres, France.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jamieson, A., C. Madramootoo and P. Enright. 2002. Evaluating Phosphorus Losses in surface and subsurface runoff from two agricultural fields in Quebec: Lake Champlain Research Consortium, Symposium 2002: Lake Champlain in the new millennium. Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleinman, P.J.A., R.B. Bryant, W.S. Reid, A.N. Sharpley, and D. Pimentel. 2000. Using phosphorus behavior to identify environmental thresholds. Soil Science 165: 943–950.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Laflamme D., I. Piché, A.R. Michaud, Y. Bédard, G. Trencia, R. Laroche, L. Champagne and J.-M. Gouin. 1997. Situation environnementale du bassin de la rivièere Boyer. MENV, MAPAQ, SLV 2000, Groupe d’Intervention de la rivièere Boyer, Qc, Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lapp, P. 1996. The hydrology and water quality of an intensive agricultural watershed in Québec. M.Sc. Thesis. Department of Agricultural Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lapp, P., C.A. Madramootoo, P. Enright amd J. Perrone. 1998. Water quality on an intensive agricultural watershed in Québec. J. Amer. Water Res. Assoc. 34 (2): 427–437.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lauzier, R. and E. Gasser. 2002. The Coopérative de solidarité de la rivière aux Brochets: concrete measures to reduce phosphorus loadings. Lake Champlain Research Consortium, Symposium 2002: Lake Champlain in the new millennium. Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lemunyon, J.L. and R.G. Gilbert. 1993. The concept and need for a phosphorus assessment tool, J. Prod. Agric., 6: 483–496.

    Google Scholar 

  • MAPINFO, 1996. Mapinfo Corporation. Troy, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michaud, A. R. and M. R. Laverdière. 2003. Effects of cropping, soil type and manure application on phosphorus export and bioavaibility. Can. J. Soil Sci. (under review).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mehlich, A., 1984. Mehlich-3 soil extractant: A modification to Mehlich-2 extractant. Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 15: 1049–1416.

    Google Scholar 

  • Monfet, J. 1979. Evaluation du coefficient de ruissellement à l’aide de la méthode SCS modifiée. Service de l’hydrométrie, Ministère de l’Environnement du Québec, Publication Na HP-51, Québec.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, J., and J.R. Riley. 1962. A modified single solution method for the determination of phosphates in surface waters. Anal. Acta 27: 31–36.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pote, D.H., T.C. Danial, D.J. Nichols, A.N. Sharpley, P.A. Moore, Jr., D.M. Miller and D.R. Edwards. 1999. Relationship between phosphorus levels in three Ultisols and phosphorus concentration in runoff. J. Env. Qual. 28: 170–175.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Preedy, N., K. McTiernan, R. Matthews, L. Heathwaite and P. Haygarth, 2001 ), Rapid incidental phosphorus transfers from grassland, J. Environn. Qual. 30: 2105–2112.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Renard, K.G., G.R. Foster, G.A. Weesies, D.K. McCooland, and D.C. Yoder. 1993. Predicting erosion by water: A guide to conservation planning with the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE). USDA-ARS agricultural Handbook.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharpley, A.N., W.W. Troeger and S.J. Smith. 1991. The measurement of bioavailable phosphorus un agricultural runoff. J. Env. Qual. 20: 235–238.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharpley A.N. and Withers, P.A. 1994. The environnementally sound management of agricultural phosphorus, Fertilizer Res., 39: 133–146.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharpley, A.N., T.C. Daniels, J.T. Sims, and D.H. Pote. 1996. Determining environmentally sound soil phosphorus levels. J. Soil Water Conserv. 51: 160–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharpley A.N., R.W. McDowell, J.L. Weld and P.J.A. Kleinman. 2001. Assesing site vulnerability to phosphorus loss in an agricultural watershed. J. Environ. Qual. 30: 2026–2036.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1972. Hydrology. In: National Engineering Handbook. Washington D.C. pp.10. 5–10. 6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Statistical analysis system. 2000. SAS 8.0 for Windows. SAS Institute Inc. Cary, NC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tabi, M., L. Tardif, D. Carrier, G. Laflamme and M. Rompré. 1990. Inventaire des problématiques de dégradation des sols du Québec: région agricole du Richelieu-Saint-Hyacinthe. Ministère de l’Agriculture, des pêcheries et de l’alimentation du Québec, Entente auxiliaire Canada-Québec sur le Développement agroalimentaire. 119 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tran, T.S. et M.Giroux. 1990. Relation entre les propriétés du sol et la disponibilité du P à la plante. Agrosol 3 (1): 7–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VDEC) and New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC). 1992. Lake Champlain Diagnostic-Feasibility Study. Interim progress report. Waterbury, VT and Albany, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, W.W. 1987. Empirical methods for predicting eutrophication in impoundments. Report 4: Applications manual Tech. Rep. E-81–9. Prep. For U.S. Army Corps Eng. Waterways experiment station, Vicksburg, MS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, W. 1998. Flux, Stream loads computations, version 5. 0. Environmental laboratory USAE Waterways Experiment Station. Vichsburg, Misissipi, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolf, A., A.N. Sharpley, L. Ressler, T. Esser, and Les E. Lanyon. 2000. Concerns and recommendations of the workgroups. In A.N. Sharpley, Ed., Agriculture and phosphorus management: the Chesapeake bay, Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, Florida.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de recherche et développement en agroenvironnement, Québec, Canada, G1P 3W8

    Aubert R. Michaud

Authors
  1. Aubert R. Michaud
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Richard Lauzier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marc R. Laverdière
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Lake Champlain Research Consortium Department of Geology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont, USA

    Thomas O. Manley (Executive Director) (Executive Director)

  2. Department of Geology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont, USA

    Patricia L. Manley

  3. Lake Champlain Research Institute, Plattsburgh State University of New York, Plattsburgh, New York, USA

    Timothy B. Mihuc

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2004 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this paper

Cite this paper

Michaud, A.R., Lauzier, R., Laverdière, M.R. (2004). Temporal and Spatial Variability in Non-Point Source Phosphorus in Relation to Agricultural Production and Terrestrial Indicators: The Beaver Brook Case Study, Pike River Basin, Québec. In: Manley, T.O., Manley, P.L., Mihuc, T.B. (eds) Lake Champlain: Partnerships and Research in the New Millennium. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4080-6_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4080-6_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-3449-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-4080-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation