Abstract

FORMICA, Stella Maris et al. Water quality modeling in mountain rivers with anthropic impact. Case study: Sierra Chica, Cordoba, Argentina. Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient [online]. 2015, vol.31, n.4, pp.327-341. ISSN 0188-4999.

The water quality models are valuable tools to analyze the ecological status of aquatic systems and to predict their response under different environmental scenarios. An example of the application of the water quality modeling QUAL2Kw in polluted mountain watersheds in Córdoba province (Argentina) is presented here. The Ceballos and Salsipuedes river basins drain the eastern slope of Sierra Chica and constitute the main source of fresh water for human consumption and recreation in several towns around the region. Waters are calcium-bicarbonate type and evolve to sulfated-calcium/sodium type downstream. The natural sources of solutes are the chemical weathering of silicates and the dissolution of carbonates. In the Sierra Chica region the urban development has increased markedly in the last decades. This fact had strongly impacted on the water quality. As a consequence of anthropic factors, high concentrations of sulfates, chlorides, sodium, nitrates, phosphorus, total coliforms and fecal bacteria were recognized. The use of QUAL2Kw software allowed analyzing the spatial variation of the physical-chemical parameters, as well as modeling and quantifying the anthropogenic impact on the water quality, highlighting the potential of geochemical modeling for the integrated management of water resources.

Keywords : hidrochemistry; QUAL2Kw; water management; geochemical modeling.