Allaire, S. E., van Bochove, E., Denault, J.-T., Dadfar, H., Thériault, G., Charles, A. and De Jong, R. 2011. Preferential pathways of phosphorus movement from agricultural land to water bodies in the Canadian Great Lakes basin: A predictive tool. Can. J. Soil Sci. 91: 361–374. Preferential flow processes, such as crack flow (CF), burrow flow (BF), finger flow (FF) and lateral flow (LF) are known as factors enhancing phosphorus (P) transport from agricultural soils to water bodies. The objective of this study was to develop a methodology for predicting the likelihood of preferential flow processes in agricultural soils at the landscape scale and their potential occurrence around the Canadian Great Lakes. The methodology considered climate, soil and crop parameters and a water budget that calculated surface runoff and drainage. Crack flow largely depended upon soil clay content, BF on soil texture and climate, FF on layering in sandy soils and LF on the presence of trees, slope and soil restricting layers. Crack flow had a high likelihood to occur southern Lake Ontario and all around Lake Erie. A high likelihood of FF could be found in the area where CF was low (i.e., in the sandy soils north of Lake Huron and Lake Ontario). Burrow flow had a medium likelihood to occur on Manitoulin Island and close to the shoreline north of Lake Ontario. Medium to high likelihood of lateral flow might occur in the area south of Lake Ontario, west of Toronto in a narrow band towards Lake Huron, and to a lesser extend in a large area northeast of Lake Huron. Lateral flow may transport soluble P in areas where P was previously carried downward by FF from inland (in soils) to surface water bodies. In several areas, tile drainage may transport all forms of P carried downward from the soil surface to the subsurface by CF and BF to lake tributaries. Preferential flow distribution maps could be used as tools for supporting the identification of agricultural lands where management might enhance subsurface processes of P transport toward groundwater or surface water bodies.

van Bochove, E., Denault, J.-T., Leclerc, M.-L., Thériault, G., Dechmi, F., Allaire, S. E., Rousseau, A. N. and Drury, C. F. 2011. Temporal trends of risk of water contamination by phosphorus from agricultural land in the Great Lakes Watersheds of Canada. Can. J. Soil Sci. 91: 443–453. The indicator of risk of water contamination by phosphorus (IROWC_P) was designed to estimate the level of risk of P contamination in water and how the level of risk has changed over 25 yr (1981–2006) in agricultural watersheds of Canada. IROWC_P allows for a qualitative assessment of this risk in comparison with other regions of eastern and western Canada, and the identification of high to very high risk watersheds may require on-site assessment and the development of remedial action plans. This study presents an in-depth analysis of IROWC_P results in the major Great Lakes watersheds of Canada. The risk of water contamination by P remains acceptable (very low to moderate) in most Great Lakes watersheds, but better management practices (e.g., reduced fertilization and manure application rates) and improved control of surface runoff may be required in watersheds which are at increased risk. The Canadian watersheds of the Great Lakes basin showed a 39% reduction in their P applications in excess of crop requirements between 1981 and 2006 bringing the Ontario provincial P balance close to equilibrium in 2006. Vulnerable areas were found south of Kitchener in the Lower Grand River watershed and east of Lake Simcoe.