Water Quality Bioindicator Data and Field Guide in Burkina Faso, 2017-2019

Research indicates certain fish, macroinvertebrates and zooplankton can be used as simple bioindicators to monitor reservoir water quality. As part of the POP-BF project, we analysed the variation in abundance and richness of fish, macroinvertebrate and zooplankton communities with changes in water quality. Seventeen species of zooplankton were found in Bidiga reservoir and the highest species richness was observed in the months of September (13), November (14) and December (12). In Ladwenda reservoir, 19 species of zooplankton were encountered and the highest specific richness was observed in the months of May (13), September (13), November (11) and December (11). Sensitive taxa of macroinvertebrate encountered at Bidida reservoirs were: Polymitarcydea, Hydropsychydae, Caenidae and Baetidae. Their presence was noted from the month of October when the rains quantity was decreasing, and the aquatic environment was stabilizing (low conductivity: 0,04 mS/cm). Tolerant species such as Hirudinae and Chironomidae were more abundant in the month of May coinciding with the end of the dry season and the beginning of the rainy season (high conductivity: 0,27mS/cm, around 7 times the value in rainy season). At this time, the water levels were very low, and the living conditions become difficult for many species. In total, 11 species of fish were encountered in the Bidiga reservoir and nine in Ladwenda reservoir. We provide here the water quality data and counts of individual fish and macroinvertebrate species identified at each sampling point, and a field guide compiled for local communities explaining which fish and macroinvertebrate species are likely to indicate high or low water quality, and how to find and identify these species.