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Analyzing the Water Quality Conditions and
Potential Pollution Sources of several creeks at
San Salvador Community Victor Sanchez and
Litzamed Santa GEOExplorers School of Science
and Technology, Universidad del Turabo
References Chris P, Parr W. 2002. Phosphorus in
rivers _ ecology and management. The Science of
the Total Environment 282-283 25-47. Hua W, Lob
W, Chuaa H, Sina S, Yub P. (2001). Nutrient
release and sediment oxygen demand in a eutrophic
land-locked embayment in Hong Kong. Environment
International 26 369-375. Helen P, Lycettb E,
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concentrations and biological quality indices
across the upper Thames river basin, UK.The
Science of the Total Environment 282-283
263-294. Helen P, Neal C, Withers P. 2006.
Sewage-effluent phosphorus A greater risk to
river eutrophication than agricultural
phosphorus? Science of the Total Environment
360 246-253. Jarvie H, Withers P, Hodgkinson R,
Bates A, Neal M, Heather D, Wickham A, Harman S,
Armstrong L. (2008). Influence of rural land use
on streamwater nutrients and their ecological
significance. Journal of Hydrology 350 166
186. Jordan C, Smith R. 2005. Methods to predict
the agricultural contribution to catchment
nitrate loads designation of nitrate vulnerable
zones in Northern Ireland. Journal of Hydrology
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Possible Pollution Sources In absence of any
known geological source of nitrate in the area
and non-uniform pattern of distribution of
nitrate along the direction of groundwater
movement, nitrate pollution is likely to be
caused by sewage and agricultural wastes. While
some nitrate in water may orginate from
fertilizers, major nitrate pollution is likely to
be from sewage. Confinment of large number of
cattle near wells particularly in hot seasons and
uncontrolled discharge of animal wastes is a
common practice in the area under study.
Concentration of cattle in small areas, coupled
with the fact that ruminant animals produce
considerable amounts of nitrogeneous organic
waste in the area, is damaging manifestation of
nitrogen pollution from farm animals. Similarity
in the geo-chemical characteristics of nitrate
and phosphate ions and strong positive
correlations between these ions indicate the
possibility of nitrate and phosphate from grey
waters and sewage, which are also evidenced by
other factors.
Introduction Research over the last decades has
identified agricultural land-use practices which
are of highest risk for nutrient losses at the
field and farm scales, and the forms in which the
key nutrients (nitrogen, N and phosphorus, P) are
exported, mainly bodies of water. However, the
impacts of agricultural nutrient sources on
stream water-quality and ecology are less well
characterized at the catchments scale. This is
because nutrient inputs from the field and farm
are modified by hydrological dilution and
mobilization, catchments and in-stream processing,
and contributions from a diverse range of
other rural nutrient sources, like farmyard,
garbage, illegal wreckage, grey waters and septic
tanks runoff and village sewage treatment works.
Water Sampling Location
Materials and methods Eight water sampling sites
were selected four in two different creeks in
San Salvador community, two in Turabo River, and
two in El Yunque Creek, these two were used as
control. To do the field sampling, we used a
LaMotte Kit, an excellent tool for examining
water quality in suspected or known polluted
aquatic environments. A rugged field carrying
case contains individual test modules for eleven
key water quality test factors, data sheets, and
valuable handbooks. Each individual test module
includes complete instructions and all the
necessary apparatus and reagents to perform 50
tests. We only tested for five different
parameters temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH,
phosphate and nitrate.
Conclusion After performing the water sampling in
all four locations we concluded that some amounts
of nutrients like nitrate and phosphate are
reaching the waters sampled, with the exception
of the creek in El Yunque, which was used as
control. The major visually identified sources of
water pollution were farming and domestic waste.
Special attention should be given to Rio Turabo
which is tributary of Carraizo Lake, a main
reservoir. Although the amounts reported of these
nutrients are friendly to the environment, that
does not mean that we should stop monitoring our
bodies of waters, in order to avoid
eutrophication and/or poisoning of the aquatic
life.
Study Site The San Salvador Community is
located at the southern west corner of Caguas. In
San Salvador we find a close to 3,300 population.
The highest peak has an elevation of a little
over 2,000 feet. It has three main creeks that
are tributary of Turabo River. The first
community museum in Puerto Rico was established
at this community about five years ago.
For further information Victor Sanchez Litzamed
Santa Please contact via e-mail
fsantaolivo_at_yahoo.com and yomo747_at_hotmail.com