Spatio-Seasonal Variation Assessment of Water Quality Based on GIS Techniques to Identify Pollution Sources in Mantaro Basin.

Abstract

To generate sustainable management of water resources, it is necessary to know the state of water quality and promote its efficient use. This study was carried out in the Middle Mantaro Sub-basin, an important area in Peru due to its agricultural activity, which provides food to the country’s capital. The objective is to explore the spatial-seasonal variation of 10 water quality parameters and analyze their pollution sources. The Geographic Information System (GIS) was used through Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation for mapping and obtaining values at the subbasin level. The results indicate that the high concentrations of physical–chemical, microbiological and heavy metal parameters affect 10, 33, and 27 subcatchments, respectively, out of the 39 that exist. The wet season presents higher concentrations in all parameters except for Mn, NO3− and TP and the primary polluting sources are municipal, domestic wastewater, and mining passives.