Seasonal assessment of water quality parameters in Mirim Lagoon, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil

Abstract This paper aimed at to evaluate the qualitative effects of climatic seasonality in a subtropical lagoon, using Discriminant Analysis, as well to identify the most sensitive and responsible parameters for these changes. The Mirim Lagoon watershed is one of the main transboundary basins in South America and is of great economic importance for the region because its waters are used for irrigation of rice fields and for the potable water supply to populations close to it, in this way, these uses may affect the quality of the basin waters. The data used in the study were provided and collected by the Mirim Lagoon Development Agency. Water quality parameters were selected in a five-year database and submitted to statistical tests that demonstrated their distinctions throughout the climatic seasons. The results showed that the parameters temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen and total phosphorus differ statically between the four climatic seasons. Were also identified four discriminative parameters between the seasons, being them dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen and total phosphorus. In this way, it can be concluded that the seasonality mainly affects anthropogenic pollution sources such as agricultural activities and domestic discharges.