Total Phosphorus Load and Ancillary Data Related to Sources of Total Phosphorus in the Red River of the North Basin

The Red River of the North (Red River) transports phosphorus from North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota, to Manitoba, Canada, and eventually into Lake Winnipeg. Phosphorus load (or flux) is the amount of total phosphorus (TP) transported by the Red River. The effect of TP load on water quality is a concern, especially with respect to downstream eutrophication issues in Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. There is interest at the State and International level to reduce TP flux an expensive proposition, depending on the method (controlling sources, settling ponds, buffer strips, changes in land use) that is not always effective during spring runoff. The purpose of the study for which these data were developed is to test causal hypotheses, using structural equation models, related to the drivers of TP load in the Red River over the period 1970-2012. These data represent potential causal factors for TP load.