Influence of Hydrological Processes on Phosphate Leaching in Tile Drained Sandy Soils

Abstract

Leaching of phosphorus (P) from agricultural land is an important source of eutrophication in the Bollenstreek in the Netherlands. This is because floriculture has led to high P concentrations in the sandy soils with low organic carbon content, which are characterised by a low retention capacity for P. In this study, P concentrations in groundwater from three plots in the Bollensteek were found to exceed the water framework directive (WFD) by a factor of 40. The case study on a single plot showed a phosphate load of 5.5 kg/ha/year leached through the tile drains, which is an order of magnitude higher than fields outside the Bollensteek. To understand where phosphate comes from and how hydrological processes influence leaching, hydraulic and chemical measurements of soil, groundwater and tile drain outflow were taken in a field with regulated tile drainage, and two hydrological models were created to simulate wet winter and dry summer conditions. The results showed the flow paths from this plot under wet and dry conditions and illustrated how hydrological processes can influence phosphate leaching through the soil and tile drains.