Phosphorus Retention Capacity of Lakes

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Abstract
Mean annual lake P concentrations ([P].infin.) in a steady state system can be described as a function of 2 variables, the mean annual influent P concentration and the net annual P sedimentation: [P].infin. = [.hivin.p] (1 - Rp). [.hivin.p] is the annual P supply/annual water supply and Rp is that fraction of inflowing P retained by the sediments annually. Since Rp is critical in determining [P].infin. lake properties were examined for their influence on Rp; the best fit empirical expressions developed related Rp to either areal water supply (annual water inflow rate/lake surface area) or hydraulic washout coefficient (annual water outflow rate/lake volume). The expressions were derived from characteristics of low productivity lakes; their validity for more productive lakes was not examined. A graph of [.hivin.p] vs. Rp is proposed to illustrate the relationship between [P].infin., [.hivin.p] and Rp and, if lake P concentrations are used as measures of trophic state, this graph is useful for predicting trophic state and changes in tropic state caused by altering [.hivin.p] and/or Rp. It is conceptually similar to those of Vollenweider (1975) and Dillon (1975) but differs in that it separates the potential lake concentration ([P].infin. would be equal to [.hivin.p] if P were conservative) from those factors acting to reduce [.hivin.p], expressed as Rp, to produce lake concentrations.

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