Effects of point and nonpoint source controls on total phosphorus load trends across the Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA.

ABSTRACT: Reduction of total phosphorus (TP) loads has long been a management focus of Chesapeake Bay restoration, but riverine monitoring stations have shown mixed temporal trends. To better understand the regional patterns and drivers of TP trends across the Bay watershed, we compiled and analyzed TP load data from 90 non-tidal network stations using clustering and random forest (RF) approaches. These stations were categorized into two distinct clusters of short-term (2013-2020) TP load trends, i.e. monotonic increase (n = 35) and monotonic decline (n = 55). RF models were developed to identify likely regional drivers of TP trend clusters. Reductions in point sources and agricultural nonpoint sources (i.e. fertilizer) both contributed to water-quality improvement in our period of ana

SUBMITTER: Zhang Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11457064 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature