Heavier Rainstorms Increasing Phosphorus Loss from Agricultural Soils

A study led by researchers at Penn State and published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that the essential nutrient phosphorus is increasingly disappearing from land as it is washed into waterways throughout the United States. The study analyzed data from 430 U.S. rivers and found that phosphorus loss from agricultural lands has increased over the past four decades, despite efforts to reduce it. Researchers credit heavier rainfall events in recent years with washing subsurface soil and its phosphorus load into rivers and streams. Phosphorus is a non-renewable resource with ATlimited geological deposits, meaning that once it moves from land to water, it can’t get back into the land. Researchers warn that loss of phosphorus can lead to decreased crop yields, in addition to causing water-quality problems. They say a combination of new technologies and better farming practices will be needed to improve phosphorus-loss prevention and mitigation.
Related ATTRA blog: Managing Phosphorus for Clean Water