Water quality in Tapiracuai and Cuarepoti Rivers, Eastern Paraguay

Abstract

Water Quality patterns were investigated in Tapiracuai and Cuarepoti Rivers by means of in situ and laboratory analysis. In sampling sites at both water courses, attenuation coefficients indicate a good photonic climate for photosynthesis. Water samples from Tapiracuai have low conductivity and low hardness while in Cuarepoti water, conductivity values varies with very high peaks; in the latter, ions are present as endogenous materials and showed negative correlation vs flow. Registered tenors of phosphorus and nitrogen nutrients are no high and eutrophication problems can no be expected. Correlation coefficients of phytoplankton density vs phosphorus contents in both courses, show to be negatives. The density of phytoplankton in the sampling sites was low. The percentage distribution of Cyanophiceae, Clorofíceae and Bacyllariophiceae (Diatoms) noted in both courses show predominance of the latter as well as relatively low presence of Cyanophyta. The ratio N / P ranges from 3.6 to 0.95 in the Tapiracuai and from 3 to 0.83 in Cuarepoti.