The sediments in a ditch may be altered from phosphorus source to the sink, or vice-versa. This study examined the effects of pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and light intensity on the amount of phosphorus release. Phosphate is most susceptible to the adsorption by sediment when the pH is 7, while phosphorus release is greater in the alkaline range and reduced in acidic conditions. The interception of microorganisms in ditches also plays an important role on phosphorus release from sediments. An oxygen-rich environment was conducive to the sorption of phosphate in overlying water, while an anoxic environment provided the opposite effect. Correspondingly, the NaOH-P emissions from sediments were greater under anoxic conditions than under oxic conditions. Light intensity also had a major effect in the overlying water on pH and ORP, further to work on phosphorus release from ditch sediments. The correlation between the light intensity and the quality of phosphorus release in the sediments was not obvious.