Evaluation of Phosphorus and Nitrogen Delivery Characteristics of Chogang Stream Sediments

초강천의 퇴적물 분석을 이용한 총인 및 질소의 유달 특성 평가

To estimate the nutrients delivery characteristics of Chogang stream to Keum River, sediment and soil characteristics were analyzed in the stream and in the stream bank. Along the stream, soil samples from river sediment were collected and tested monthly for phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations. Nitrogen concentration in the sediment is much lower than that of soil in the river bank especially in summer presumably due to the high desorption characteristics of nitrogen by the increasing rainfall energy during summer. Instead, the concentrations of phosphorus were similar for the sediment and the soil in the river bank due to the strong adsorption characteristics of phosphorus. Batch tests were performed to evaluate the desorption potential of the sediments. Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) was applied to quantify soil erosion in each watershed due to rainfall. It was estimated that approximately 25% of total phosphorus by mass basis could be released from the sediment if the water was disturbed vigorously. The mass load of nitrogen and phosphorus into the Chogang Stream from the watershed were evaluated from the USLE and release ratio of phosphorus.