Assessment of Nutrient Concentration in Reservoir Bottom Sediments

Abstract

Sediment delivered from water erosion causes substantial waterway damages and water quality degradation. Characterization of bottom deposits is an important factor in the study of water quality because they are responsible for transporting a significant proportion of many contaminants, particularly nutrients. They also mediate their uptake, storage, release and transfer between environmental compartments. Most sediment in surface waters derives from surface erosion and comprises a mineral component, arising from the erosion of bedrock, and an organic component arising during soil-forming processes. An additional organic component may be added by biological activity within the water body. Sediment quality also nearly always complicates sediment management. Enormous volumes of sediments have to be dredged worldwide for both maintenance and also environmental reasons. However dredged material is increasingly regarded as a resource rather than as a waste. Dredged sediments have a wide range of uses but first we must know their quality. The aim of this paper is presenting the results of determination the total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content in reservoir bottom sediments in dependence on sampling location and sampling depth. The results of chemical analyses confirmed the literary information that the concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in chosen sediment samples is diverse due to irregular sediment deposition in the reservoir and increases with proportion of the finest particle fraction. Also it was found out that nutrients content in sediment increases with sampling depth. This fact probably corresponds to higher fertilizer application in the high’80s and low’90s.