Application of manures and fertilizers to P saturated soils can significantly increase the risk of P leaching thereby affecting water quality. Past research has shown that all soils do not possess the same risk of P leaching to shallow groundwater, as subsoil physical and chemical properties can significantly affect the movement of P leached from topsoil horizons. We investigated the risk of P leaching from three typical soils of the Mid-Atlantic region by using intact soil columns (30 cm diameter, 50 cm deep) that were collected with an advanced tractor-mounted soil corer. The soils were selected on the basis of Mehlich 3-P saturation ratio (M3-PSR) that varied from optimum (<0.10) to environmental (>0.15) categories. Our objectives were to quantify the effect of soil type on P leaching and determine the suitability of a rapid, inexpensive soil P saturation test (M3-PSR) for use in risk assessment protocols for P loss to water. Columns were irrigated with the equivalent of 50-mm of water each week for a total of 16 weeks. Superphosphate was applied at 85 kg P/ha after 8 weeks of irrigation. Sorption parameters of soils were determined by fitting P isotherm data to the Langmuir and Freundlich equations. Concentrations of dissolved reactive P (DRP) in leachate were not significantly different between optimum and environmental M3-PSR soil columns before fertilizer application. However, concentrations of DRP were significantly increased following fertilizer application for environmental compared to optimum M3-PSR soil columns. Total P concentrations in leachate were higher from environmental M3-PSR columns before fertilizer application, and increased by two- to five- fold after fertilizer application. Our results provide clear evidence of a greater risk of P leaching from high P saturated soils and show that the M3-PSR is an effective means to rapidly predict the risk of P loss to water.