Indian Journal of Science and Technology

Abstract

Objectives: To study the water quality of the El Santuario creek located in the El Santuario Reserve, through the macroinvertebrate community analysis and physicochemical parameters.

Methods/ statistical analysis: We applied the BMWP/Col-ASPT quality index to characterize surface water quality, collecting aquatic macroinvertebrates in 7 stations of the El Santuario stream, with the measurement of physicochemical parameters between the months of March and August 2017. A constrict correlation analysis (CCA) was conducted to find the relations between macroinvertebrates families and physicochemical variables.

Findings: Moderately contaminated waters of dubious quality are defined which may lead to limitations in the establishment of the macroinvertebrate community, where the last station that corresponds to the exit of water of the mine, presented the quality of strongly contaminated waters in a critical situation that is reflected with the low presence of organisms. The physicochemical variables that most influence the families of benthic macroinvertebrates are as follows: conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids, and dissolved oxygen; indicating a relationship between concentration and abundance of organisms. According to the BMWP/Col-ASPT index, the biological quality of the El Santuario creek water has improved significantly in two years without coal mining, in relation to the quality reported for 2015.

Application: These results contribute to environmental decision making in the management of high mountain water resources.

Keywords: Water Quality, Aquatic Macro Invertebrates, Stream, Physicochemical Parameters, Páramo.