The relationship between nutrients and water resources may be described in terms of availability, mobility, and accessibility. There are many factors that influence nutrient behavior in the environment and their interrelationships may be complex. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are the main plant nutrients that warrant concern with respect to surface water systems. Elevated concentrations of these nutrients contribute to eutrophication of streams and lakes. In many ways nitrogen and phosphorus work in tandem with respect to plant growth. The nutrient of least availability will limit plant growth. In aquatic systems it is generally recognized that an N to P weight ratio of approximately 10 is an indication of nutrient balance (Forsberg, 1980; Thomann and Mueller, 1987). N to P ratios less than 10 indicate N limitation, while greater than 10 indicate P limitation. The limiting nutrient will control biotic growth. In the northern prairies both N and P limited aquatic systems have been observed (Shubert, 1980; German et al., 1991). The impacts of nutrients on the trophic status of surface water in the northern prairies may be dependent on the status of either N or P and may vary with the season (German et al., 1991). The potential for either N or P to contribute to surface water degradation may be estimated by accounting for those factors that are most influential in determining nutrient behavior in the northern prairies.