Water Quality in Micro-watersheds Under Different Land Uses in the Municipality of Alegre, Espírito Santo

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate water quality attributes in micro-watersheds under different soil uses. Therefore, four micro-watersheds under the following vegetation cover were selected: pasture, primary forest reforestation, forest, and coffee plantation. Surface and underground water sampling was performed bimonthly between February and December 2014, where thermotolerant coliforms, dissolved oxygen, total nitrogen, phosphorus, turbidity, temperature, pH, biochemical demand for oxygen and total solids were analyzed. Descriptive analyses of each variable were performed during dry and rainy periods, and the values were compared with the normative standards established by Brazilian legislation. Water Quality Indices (WQIs) were also calculated for each collection site. All sites presented some type of nonconformity with human consumption standards. The highest WQI values were found in the forest area micro-basin, followed by the coffee plantation and pasture area micro-basins, highlighting the importance of forested areas for water quality.

Avaliação sazonal dos índices de qualidade de água dos mananciais afluentes ao reservatório João Leite, no estado de Goiás, Brasil

“…Além disso, no período chuvoso, o escoamento superficial da água da chuva em áreas de pastagens pode carrear fezes de animais para os mananciais, resultando assim, na concentração elevada de bactérias do grupo coliforme. Pastro et al (2018) relacionaram a presença de valores altos de coliformes termotolerantes em microbacias, onde a pecuária é predominante e, em regiões de nascentes onde o gado possui acesso.…”