Nutrient concentrations in stream bank legacy sediments: variation with land use and bank depth

Studies suggest that stream bank legacy sediments could be an important factor in sediment and nutrient loading to surface waters. However, there is significant uncertainty regarding nutrient concentrations in stream bank legacy sediments and how they vary with land use and bank depth.

For this study, 15 legacy sediment stream banks were sampled in Delaware and Maryland, across four land use types (forested, suburban, urban, agriculture) at multiple bank depths. Sediment samples were dried and sieved into fine (<63μm) and coarse (>63 μm) fraction sizes and analyzed for nutrients and metals (Nitrogen (N), Carbon (C), Phosphorus (P), M3-extractable elements, heavy metals). The leachable nutrient content of each sediment sample was also determined.