Drivers of long-term trends and seasonal changes in total phosphorus loads to a mesotrophic lake in the west of Ireland
Eleanor Jennings A F , Norman Allott B , David Lenihan C , Bill Quirke D , David Taylor E and Helena Twomey D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Applied Sciences and Centre for Freshwater and Environmental Studies, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Dundalk, Ireland.
B Zoology and Centre for the Environment, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.
C Kerry County Council, County Buildings, Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland.
D Conservation Services, Tullaha, Glenflesk, Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland.
E Geography, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.
F Corresponding author. Email: eleanor.jennings@dkit.ie
Marine and Freshwater Research 64(5) 413-422 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF12166
Submitted: 25 June 2012 Accepted: 16 November 2012 Published: 3 May 2013
Journal Compilation © CSIRO Publishing 2013 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
Excess phosphorus (P) loading is a major cause of deterioration in surface water quality. In Ireland, regulation has focussed on control of P losses from agriculture and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs): the two main sources of excess P. Hindcast modelling for Lough Leane, south-west Ireland, indicated that, while the only municipal (point) source contributed up to 41% of the annual TP loading until the mid 1980s, over 90% of the TP load was from diffuse sources following upgrading of the WWTP. Field data from 2000–2006 confirmed that most of the TP load came from agriculture, with 73% being exported between September and February, generally the wettest months in the region. However, the WWTP contributed up to 60% of daily loads during summer. Short lake residence times (two to four months) between October and February indicated that external loadings during these months were unlikely to make a significant contribution to summer phytoplankton growth in the lake. In contrast, the potential effects of point sources during low flows were maximised by longer residence times between April and September. The results highlight the importance to aquatic pollution impacts of, and therefore the need for regulatory responses to respect, seasonal variations in loading and residence time.
Additional keywords: diffuse sources, eutrophication, GWLF, lake residence time, phosphorus, point sources.
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