Análisis del comportamiento histerético de los parámetros de calidad del agua en zonas urbanas, periurbanas y de conservación de la subcuenca del río Machángara

Abstract

The analysis of the hysteretic behavior in relation to the concentration/water level allows to identify fluctuations in the concentrations of the water quality parameters depending on the flow. The Machángara River basin is relevant because it is a source for drinking water treatment, irrigation and hydroelectric generation. The present research aims to analyze the hysteretic behavior of water quality parameters: turbidity, total solids, pH, BOD5, phosphates, nitrites-nitrates, and total coliforms, located in an urban, peri-urban and conservation area of the Machángara River sub-basin located in the Paute River basin, during the period 2006 - 2013. In this sub-basin, the influence of seasonality (dry-wet), land use, and vegetation cover on the hysteretic behavior of each of the aforementioned parameters was evaluated. For the elaboration of the hysteretic graphs, the water level was ordered chronologically along with the value of the parameter, as well as the seasonality and hysteretic direction were also represented. The results showed that the hysteretic behavior of turbidity is affected by the heterogeneity of land use and vegetation cover and the pH due to moorland vegetation and its contribution of organic material. Furthermore, seasonality influences the amplitude of the hysteretic behavior of the parameter concentrations. Finally, the study made it possible to identify that in conservation and urban areas the behavior tends to be counterclockwise, while in the peri-urban area in most parameters there is no defined hysteretic behavior.