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Sources and fate of nutrients in a subtropical reservoir

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Abstract

This study examined the sources and fate of nutrient inputs from two principal tributaries to the eutrophic subtropical Wivenhoe reservoir: an unregulated river and a dammed river with regular releases, during a period of declining reservoir water levels. Nutrient budgets were constructed over a period of 6 years, and combined with short-term data on nutrient concentrations and forms, and δ15N stable isotope data. Our study found that over a 6 year period, there was net retention of phosphorus (P) in the reservoir, with 60% of inputs retained. Most of the P input load came from the unregulated river, with an agricultural catchment, during periods of high flow. During one event half of the total TP load from the unregulated river in the study period was delivered in only 12 days. Much of the P was dissolved inorganic P (DIP) and was derived from high P concentrations in soils and sediments. This highlights the importance of appropriate catchment management practices to reduce P losses from terrestrial systems because retention of P in reservoir sediments reduces the availability of this nutrient for agricultural production. In contrast, there was negligible retention of nitrogen (N). The unregulated river was an important source of N derived from N fixation in the river and adjacent soils, while the source from the dammed river was mostly reprocessed N. The high retention of P relative to N is consistent with relatively higher accumulation of P in sediments.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Rob Dehayr (Queensland Department of Environment and Natural Resources) and Joanne Burton for flow data; Dan Wruck and his team (Queensland Health & Scientific Services) and Noreen Dejores for nutrient data; Rene Diocares for stable isotope data; Katherine O’Brien, Stephen Faggotter and seqwater staff for assistance with sampling; Gary Forsdike for sequential extraction data; seqwater for nutrient and flow data. Stephen K. Hamilton, Catherine Leigh, David Roberts, Peter Rothlisberg and anonymous reviewers provided helpful comments on the manuscript. The Australian Research Council, seqwater and Southeast Queensland Healthy Waterways Partnership provided financial support for this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia

    Michele A. Burford & Susanne A. Green

  2. EDAW AECOM, Level 6/171 George Street, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia

    Andrew J. Cook

  3. Seqwater, 240 Ann St, Brisbane, QLD, 4002, Australia

    Suzanne A. Johnson

  4. Department of Geography, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada

    Jason G. Kerr

  5. School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Katherine R. O’Brien

Authors
  1. Michele A. Burford
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  2. Susanne A. Green
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  3. Andrew J. Cook
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  4. Suzanne A. Johnson
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  5. Jason G. Kerr
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  6. Katherine R. O’Brien
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Correspondence to Michele A. Burford.

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Burford, M.A., Green, S.A., Cook, A.J. et al. Sources and fate of nutrients in a subtropical reservoir. Aquat Sci 74, 179–190 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-011-0209-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-011-0209-4

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