Evaluation of phosphorus concentrations in relation to annual and seasonal physico-chemical water quality parameters in a UK chalk stream

The aim of this paper was to examine historical physico-chemical water quality parameters (1990-1997) in the River Frome, East Stoke (NGR SY867868), in order to show both annual and seasonal (monthly) trends. EpCO2 (defined as the partial pressure of CO2 in natural water divided by the equilibrium partial pressure of CO2) levels ranged from mean values of 6.32+/-0.41 in spring/summer to 7.86+/-1.17 in autumn/winter. A decreasing trend in mean annual EpCO2 was also observed, with a high of 9.61 in 1990 and a low of 5.22 in 1996. The variations were attributed to changes in pH, which showed an inverse relationship with river discharge (r2=0.47). Both pH and EpCO2 levels were strongly linked to biological activity with increases caused by primary productivity. Filterable reactive phosphorus (FRP) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations correlated with river discharge. The results showed that the majority of the phosphorus load was transported during storm events, which agrees with results from an export coefficient model predicting phosphorus loading in the Frome catchment. Recent River Frome monitoring campaigns using an in situ flow-injection (FI)-based monitor were in agreement with phosphorus concentration and related physico-chemical trends observed during historical sampling and laboratory analysis.