Contributions of Phosphorus from Groundwater to Streams in the Piedmont, Blue Ridge, and Valley and Ridge Physiographic Provinces, Eastern United States

Abstract

Foreword The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is committed to providing the Nation with reliable scientific information that helps to enhance and protect the overall quality of life and that facilitates effective management of water, biological, energy, and mineral resources (http://www.usgs.gov/). Information on the Nation's water resources is critical to ensuring long-term availability of water that is safe for drinking and recreation and is suitable for industry, irrigation, and fish and wildlife. Population growth and increasing demands for water make the availability of that water, measured in terms of quantity and quality, even more essential to the long-term sustainability of our communities and ecosystems. The USGS implemented the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program in 1991 to support national, regional, State, and local information needs and decisions related to water-quality management and policy (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa). The NAWQA Program is designed to answer: What is the quality of our Nation's streams and ground water? How are conditions changing over time? How do natural features and human activities affect the quality of streams and ground water, and where are those effects most pronounced? By combining information on water chemistry, physical characteristics, stream habitat, and aquatic life, the NAWQA Program aims to provide science-based insights for current and emerging water issues and priorities. From 1991 to 2001, the NAWQA Program completed interdisciplinary assessments and established a baseline understanding of water-quality conditions in 51 of the Nation's river basins and aquifers, referred to as Study Units (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/studies/study_units.html). The USGS recognizes that a national assessment by a single program cannot address all water-resource issues of interest. External coordination at all levels is critical for cost-effective management, regulation, and conservation of our Nation's water resources. The NAWQA Program, therefore, depends on advice and information from other agencies-Federal, State, regional, interstate, Tribal, and local-as well as nongovernmental organizations, industry, academia, and other stakeholder groups. Your assistance and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Practices for Eutrophic Shallow Lake Water Remediation and Restoration: A Critical Literature Review

“…The mineral P form (i.e., inorganic) mostly present in rocks is apatite, which comprises hydroxyapatite, fluorapatite, and chlorapatite [31], which can then be found in aquatic ecosystems. On the other hand, hydrous ferric oxides such as goethite (FeOOH) and ferrihydrite (Fe(OH) 3 ) are the common form in well-drained soils and important sinks or sources of soluble phosphate in aquatic environments [32]. When related to anthropogenic terrestrial P (i.e., fertilizer and livestock) this will be mostly organic and soluble in water which will runoff from the land.…”

Groundwater-surface water interactions and agricultural nutrient transport in a Great Lakes clay plain system

“…Phosphorus is also removed from solution via precipitation reactions wherein P reacts with another compound to create a mineral (Holtan et al, 1988). These reactions occur between P and Al, Fe, or Ca within the subsurface and produce insoluble or sparingly soluble phosphate minerals, such as variscite (AlPO₄·2(H₂O)), strengite (FePO₄·(H₂O)), or apatite (Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH)) (Bussey & Walter, 1996;Denver et al, 2010).…”

Phosphorus attenuation in streams by water-column geochemistry and benthic sediment reactive iron

“…Al and Fe based phosphate-minerals) are unlikely to contribute to phosphate activity in the water column, but may be more important in some subsurface environments (e.g., Denver et al, 2010;Rothe et al, 2014).…”