A 16th century artificial reservoir under human pressure: water quality variability assessment in Laguna de Yuriria, central Mexico

Abstract

This study assesses the variability of physicochemical and biochemical parameters, identifies principal pollutant sources, and characterizes water quality in Yuriria reservoir using water quality indexes in combination with multivariate statistical techniques. In situ parameters were measured in 55 reservoir sites including surface and deep points and in 7 associated channels. Moreover, major compounds and biochemical data were determined. Yuriria reservoir had alkaline, bicarbonate-mixed waters, with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 393.83 ± 3.43 mg L−1. Water quality index (WQI) indicated a good class for agricultural irrigation but very poor and poor classes for preservation of aquatic life. The nutrient inputs and the internal nitrogen recycling triggered a hypereutrophic status in the reservoir. The decomposition of residual biomass from aquatic macrophytes contributed to reduce dissolved oxygen (DO) in the hypolimnetic waters (mean DO = 3.86 mg L−1). Statistical analysis revealed that the study area is highly exposed to anthropogenic stress and in a lesser extent to natural processes. Urban and agriculture runoff enhanced the salinization and the generation of solid particles which deteriorated water quality. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and NO3−-N presented a common anthropogenic origin by external (point and diffuse) and internal pollution sources, while a diffuse source (agricultural activities) was reveled for phosphorus. This study is important to be used in systematic monitoring and sustainable co-management programs and for formulating the necessary strategies to remediate the Yuriria reservoir water quality and extrapolate to other reservoirs worldwide.