Stormwater ponds are common in many cities and are intended to slow runoff and improve water quality in downstream waterbodies. The use of stormwater ponds to capture and retain phosphorus is based on assumptions that most incoming phosphorus is particulate and prone to settling and that ponds remain fully aerated to prevent the release of sedimentary phosphorus via redox-driven internal loading. Our analysis of observations from stormwater ponds suggests that internal loading is common due to stratification, and the resulting low oxygen, as well as high sedimentary phosphorus availability. This indicates that many ponds have a reduced capacity to trap phosphorus and, in some cases, can release previously trapped phosphorus, potentially contributing to eutrophication in downstream waterbodies.
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