FGD Gypsum Application: Impacts On Soil P From City Parks in the Tampa Area.

Controlling excessive P loss from agricultural fields has become a major issue in recent years. However, managed city parks may also contribute to P loss. Thus, a study was conducted at three different city parks located in the Tampa Area to evaluate the use of FGD gypsum as an amendment to reduce water soluble P concentrations in soil. Two locations were moderately managed along walking trails and one location was intensively managed at a tennis complex. At the intensively managed location we evaluated plots from an irrigated and a natural rainfed site. The FGD gypsum was applied in May 2011 and sampled for water soluble P concentrations one year later at the 0-5 and 5-10 cm depth increments. The greatest impact of FGD gypsum on reducing water soluble P concentrations was observed at the 0-5 cm depth increment. Regardless of the management FGD gypsum reduced water soluble P concentrations in soil. This study shows that FGD gypsum could be used a binding agent to reduce the potential for water soluble P loss to surface water runoff.