Kansas Real-Time Water Quality

Total phosphorus

Overview

Phosphorus is a nutrient necessary for growth and reproduction. Large inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds to the aquatic environment can cause excessive algal growth. When algal blooms die, concentrations of dissolved oxygen can become depleted, which can stress aquatic organisms and may cause taste-and-odor problems in water supplies.

Water-quality standards and criteria are developed by the States, approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and then promulgated (passed into law) as standards by each State. Graphs on this website allow comparison of measured and computed data to these standards and criteria by plotting them as straight lines. When evaluating data to decide whether water quality is suitable for the intended use, viewers are cautioned to consider the uncertainty associated with these computed data.

Water-quality Standards and Criteria

USEPA proposed maximum for streams in Ecoregion VI: 0.076 mg/L-P

To prevent excessive growth of plants and algae and accelerated eutrophication, a criterion of 0.076 milligrams per liter has been recommended by the USEPA.

Source: USEPA Ambient Water Quality Criteria Recommendations, Region VI (view online)

Benchmark maximum for Cheney Reservoir: 0.1 mg/L-P

A benchmark maximum value of 0.1 milligrams per liter has been defined for total phosphorus at Cheney Reservoir.

Stations That Measure or Compute Continuous Total phosphorus

Click a station to view measurements of total phosphorus.

Station Name Station Identifier
Kansas River at Wamego, KS 06887500
Kansas River at Topeka, KS 06889000
Kansas River at DeSoto, KS 06892350
Kill Creek at 95 Street near DeSoto, KS 06892360
Cedar Creek at Highway 56 at Olathe, KS 06892440
Mill Creek at Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS 06892513
Blue River at Kenneth Road, Overland Park, KS 06893100
Blue R at Blue Ridge Ext in KC, MO 06893150
Indian Creek at State Line Road, Leawood, KS 06893390
Rattlesnake Creek near Zenith, KS 07142575
Little Arkansas River at Highway 50 near Halstead, KS 07143672
Little Arkansas River near Sedgwick, KS 07144100
North Fork Ninnescah River above Cheney Reservoir, KS 07144780
Cheney Reservoir near Cheney, KS 07144790