Water quality and surroundings for systemic management of springs in rural areas

Abstract

Springs enable the passage of groundwater to flow to the ground surface, forming and sustaining watercourses. Despite the importance of these ecosystems, their functionality and the availability of water in terms of quantity and quality in rural areas have been threatened. The objective of this study was to evaluate the water quality of springs under different care and preservation scenarios in rural areas and assess the need to combine water potability analysis with biological indicators and the effects of the interaction between aquatic and terrestrial environments on the characteristics of surroundings to generate a systemic and robust representation of the impact of human actions on these threatened environments. The study was developed considering the Ijuí River Basin, in the northwestern state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It involved the evaluation of springs in a native forest area protected by drainage and a preserved vegetation; in a reforested area with concrete protection and surrounding vegetation; and in a livestock area with no vegetation fragments in the surroundings and with an outcrop protected by concrete pipes. Physicochemical and microbiological analyses are essential for determining the potability of spring water. However, these are specific assessments that do not reflect historical environmental conditions. The use of bioindicators enables these analyses and, together with the determination of surroundings' characteristics, allows for evaluating the degree of preservation to ensure spring quality, providing perspectives that combine care and sustainable use.