Water Quality Assessment of Jose Antonio Alzate Dam, the Lerma River and Its Tributaries in the State of Mexico, Mexico

Abstract

Water quality was evaluated at sites of the Jose Antonio Alzate Dam, the rivers Lerma, Tejalpa and Temoaya in the State of Mexico, Mexico. The variables measured included pH, conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonia, nitrates, sulfates, sulfides and metal concentrations (Cu and Pb). Chemical speciation for dissolved metals in the aqueous phase was obtained using measured concentrations and the software MINEQL+ (4.5); metal partition coefficients was also obtained using dissolved and particulate concentrations of metals. Hydraulic behavior of the studied water bodies was investigated and the fate of Cu and Pb ions was simulated. The simulation results indicate that the Lerma River provides the majority of organic matter and metal contaminants as a result of a poor oxygen saturation velocity, and showed a slight improvement when the Lerma River is subjected to its tributaries Tejalapa and Temoaya Rivers. Under the reducing conditions predominating along the dam and from the results of aqueous phase chemical speciation, it was found that sulfide metal-associated species are the ones that predominate. It was demonstrated that in general, the rivers Tejalapa and Temoaya presented the best water quality. The Lerma River oxygen saturation improves after the rainy season, but it worsens during the dry season. Due to irregular topography, the small slope prevailing in the Lerma River, and the almost nonexisting water flow, zones with different characteristics are formed within the dam. The sedimentation contributes in the generation of local eddies causing the existence of a small diffusive flow. The order of partition coefficient was Pb > Cu. Cu presented the highest risk levels in the dissolved phase

Water Quality of a Reservoir and Its Major Tributary Located in East-Central Mexico

“…It is known that medium- and small-sized rivers, such as the Zahuapan, are more affected by anthropogenic pollution than large rivers [34]. DO levels in the Zahuapan River were comparable with those found during other years [22] and with those of other heavily polluted rivers, such as the Lerma River, in which DO has been found at <1 mg/L [16]. OM was similar to those found in the Atoyac River, which is impacted by the Zahuapan River and by wastewater discharges [35].…”

“…Some studies on water quality have been carried out in Mexican reservoirs [10,13,14,15,16]. However, other reservoirs and their tributaries with ecological and economic importance have been poorly studied; with regard to the Atlanga Reservoir, this is the largest and most important of the 16 reservoirs located in the State of Tlaxcala, Mexico, and water from this reservoir is used mostly for supplying agricultural irrigation, mainly in the months of April to August, due to that precipitation in the state is low, with a annual mean of around 700 mm [17].…”

“…It is known that deterioration of reservoirs due to anthropogenic factors or natural processes affects the water quality, impairing its future use and also the protection of aquatic life [ 7 , 11 ]; in addition, the characteristics of the water in the tributaries could be an indicator that exerts an impact on these systems or that influences the spatial variations [ 5 , 6 , 12 ]. Some studies on water quality have been carried out in Mexican reservoirs [ 10 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. However, other reservoirs and their tributaries with ecological and economic importance have been poorly studied; with regard to the Atlanga Reservoir, this is the largest and most important of the 16 reservoirs located in the State of Tlaxcala, Mexico, and water from this reservoir is used mostly for supplying agricultural irrigation, mainly in the months of April to August, due to that precipitation in the state is low, with a annual mean of around 700 mm [ 17 ].…”

Estudio Exploratorio Sobre La Asociación De Metales Pesados Y La Nefropatía De Etiología Desconocida en El Poniente Del Estado De México

“…Varios estudios reportan la determinación de metales pesados tanto en agua como en sedimento en diferentes segmentos del río Lerma. Barceló-Quintal et. al.…”

Análisis de riesgo ecológico asociado a contaminantes en el agua y la tilapia Oreochromis niloticus (Linneaus, 1758), de la presa Tenango, Puebla

“…Cuando existen lluvias intensas, el ingreso del agua pluvial tiende a homogenizar las concentraciones de este gas en la superficie de los cuerpos acuáticos. A diferencia de cuando no hay lluvias o son esporádicas o con poca intensidad, la uniformidad de los valores de parámetros del agua de un determinado sitio tiende a fluctuar(Graves et al, 2004;Barceló, 2012;Bayram, 2013). No obstante, los incrementos puntuales de oxígeno disuelto durante enero en las zonas de bordo de contención, área urbana, cultivos y turismo pueden deberse a lo mencionado por Obregón y Duván (2006).…”