1. The potential for phosphorus loss to groundwater from soils irrigated with dairy factory wastewater
- Author
-
Carolina A. Lizarralde, Richard McDowell, Leo Condron, and Jeff Brown
- Subjects
Soil Science ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Plant Science ,Agronomy and Crop Science - Abstract
Soils irrigated with phosphorus (P)-rich wastewater can increase the risk of P losses from land to water. We investigated if wastewater-irrigated soils can leach P through the soil profile and enrich groundwater. Soils were sampled annually for 20 years to 7.5 cm depth and for one year to 2.2 and 15 m. A mass balance showed that topsoils >200 mg L−1 Olsen P (and 2-extractable P (designed to indicate loss to runoff and leaching, respectively). Samples in five paddocks showed substantial P leaching to 2.2 m, while sampling to 15 m showed leaching to 4.5 m depth. Deeper layers, especially in the 15 m deep cores, had a coarse texture and low capacity to sorb P, which caused high P concentrations (1.9 mg L−1) at one groundwater site. Based on these data preventing soils from reaching the thresholds of 200 mg L−1 Olsen P and 50% ASC is necessary to prevent excessive P losses.
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF