The increased cost of fertilizer and concerns about environmental impacts have led to a reduction in P use in grazed pastures in Florida; however, P fertilization may be necessary to sustain bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) pastures. This study evaluated the impacts of reduced P fertilization on forage characteristics, soil and leachate P concentrations on bahiagrass pastures during 2007 and 2008. Treatments consisted of three P fertilization levels (0, 5, and 10 kg P ha(-1), applied as KH(2)PO(4)) arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. Twelve 1.2-ha bahiagrass pastures were stocked continuously with a fixed stocking rate of two beef heifers [Bos sp; 380 +/- 30 kg live weight (LW)] per experimental unit. Forage was sampled at 14-d intervals for herbage mass (HM), crude protein (CP), and in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM) concentrations. Two suction lysimeters were installed at 60- and 90-cm depth to monitor leachate P. Phosphorus fertilization did not affect HM (4.4 Mg ha(-1)), herbage accumulation rate (HAR, 43 kg ha(-1) d(-1)), CP (94 g kg(-1)), or IVDOM (500 g kg(-1)). Tissue P concentrations increased from 1.9 to 2.2 g kg(-1) as P fertilization increased from 0 to 10 kg P ha(-1). Soil P concentration in the Ap (7 mg kg(-1)) and Bh horizons (23 mg kg(-1)) and leachate P concentration (0.06 mg L(-1)) were not affected by P application. Despite the lack of yield response to P fertilization, P application at levels of 5 and 10 kg P ha(-1) showed no impacts on water quality.