Surface application of animal manure increases nutrients at the soil surface and the potential for nutrient loss in runoff, but may reduce runoff and erosion. Non-application setbacks are often required to reduce nutrient loss to surface water. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of setback distance on phosphorus and sediment in runoff. The research was conducted on a field in southeast Nebraska with silty clay loam soil, 3-4% slope, and with tile-inlet terraces. The drainage area served by a rise was an experimental unit. Seven treatments included no manure applied, and non-application setbacks of 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 m. Composted manure was applied in the spring of 2006 at the rate of 74 Mg ha-1 which resulted in the application of 686 kg ha-1 of P. Experimental units differed in size, slope, and storage depth and these factors were evaluated for their contribution to experimental error.. In 2006 and early 2007, runoff samples were collected at each riser for three depths (7.5, 15 and 30 cm) and analyzed for phosphorus and sediment concentration. At some risers, ISCO and Global Water Logger devices were installed to sample periodically during the runoff event and to determine the volume of runoff. Total P and particulate P concentrations were higher at the early stages of the event when flow rate into the risers was increasing, and then decreased at the hydrograph depression stage. Particulate P and sediment is affected by the topographic factor (LS) of contributing area.  Implementing No-manure setback application, as BMP, to reduce phosphorus and sediment loss, is highly associated with hydrological characteristics of the runoff contributing areas such as size, slope, maximum slope length, topographic factor and with rainfall intensity and distribution