Understanding the Mechanism of Nutrient Transport through Surface Runoff

Abstract

Eutrophication and associated ecological changes in water bodies have become a major environmental challenge. Therefore, understanding of the transport mechanism of nutrients into the water bodies is of importance, as it will help in managing the problem of eutrophication. In this study, surface runoff samples were analyzed for the nutrients during the rainfall events in the watershed of Sukhna Lake, Chandigarh (India). The monitoring point was selected in the drain in which all the sub-drains merged into. The Chemographs plotted suggested that the mechanism of transport of total phosphorous (TP) was majorly adsorbed onto suspended solids whereas the total nitrogen (TN) was transported in solution.