Sediment characteristics, phosphorus types and phosphorus release rates between river and lake sediments

The Han river is 469.7 km long with 26 219-km2 area watershed, and is the primary drinking water source for the 20 million people that live in Seoul, Kangwon-Do and Kyunggi-Do, Korea. Phosphorus release from sediments impacts water quality, and is endangering the beneficial use of the river. This research measures phosphorus release and predicts future releases from bottom sediments of two tributary areas (Chungpyung Lake (CPL) and Jamsil submerged dam (JSD) area in the Han river). Sediment samples were taken over a 4-year period from four points in the Jamsil dam area and from 92 points in CPL. The sediments were analyzed for total phosphorus, the form of the phosphorus and release rates under different conditions to the water column. Sediment phosphorus distribution from CPL was 3–5% adsorbed-P (Ads-P), 15–20% non-apatite-P (NAI-P), 25–30% apatite-P (A-P) and 45–57% residual-P (R-P). In the JSD area, the phosphorus distribution ranges were 1–3% Ads-P, 22–39% NAI-P, 26–40% A-P and 30–39% R-P. Laboratory experiments showed that phosphorus release rates from 60 to 80 mg/m2 week in JSD area and ranged from 25 to 40 mg/m2 week in CPL sediments.