Assessment of Nutrient Contents in River Waters Introduced to Beni Haroun Dam, North East Algeria
The main objective of this study was to assess the hydrochemical water quality of the rivers that flowed into the Beni Haroun dam by integrating the use of biogeochemical and multivariate statistical investigation methods. Water samples were collected from the four principal rivers (Oued Rhumel, Oued Radjas, Oued Kebir and Oued El-Kotone rivers) flowing into the Beni Haroun dam in February 2020. Essential physical parameters (pH, Electric Conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Dissolved Oxygen (O2)) and nutrient contents (dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN: NH4, NO3 and NO2), phosphate (PO4) and silicates (SiO4) were analysed. The results of our study showed important variations in physical parameters according to the characteristics of each river; additionally, SiO2, NO3 and NO2 were found to be highly abundant in Oued Rhumel, Oued Radjas and Oued El-Kotone rivers. This abundance could be explained by the fact that these three rivers were more exposed to anthropogenic pollution principally due to agricultural activities compared to the Oued Kebir river. In contrast, NH4, as well as phosphate (PO4), was present at high concentrations in both Oued Rhumel and Oued Radjas rivers. These biogeochemical conditions would have severe impacts on the functioning and productivity of aquatic systems.
Bagalwa, M. (2006). The impact of land use on water quality of the Lwiro River, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa. African Journal of Aquatic Science, 31(1): 137-143.
Billen, G. and J. Garnier (2007). River basin nutrient delivery to the coastal sea: Assessing its potential to sustain new production of non-siliceous algae. Mar. Chem, 106(1-2): 148-160.
Bernard, C.Y., Dürr, H.H., Heinze, C. and M.R.E. Segschneider (2010). Contribution of riverine nutrients to the silicon biogeochemistry of the global ocean-A model study. Biogeosci. Discuss, 7: 4919-4951.
Cloern, J.E. (2001). Our evolving conceptual model of the coastal eutrophication problem. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser, 210: 223-253.
Cahiers de l’agence, A.B.H (2004). Le bassin du Khébir Rhumel, 8. Fekrache, F. and K. Boudeffa (2019). Spatial and temporal variations in surface water quality of the dam reservoir in the guenitra basin, Algeria. Rasayan. J-Chem, 12(2): 827-832.
Howarth, R.W., Billen, G., Swaney, D., Townsend, D., Jaworski, N., Lajtha, K., Downing, J.A., Elmgren, R., Caraco, N., Jordan, T., Berendse, E., Freney, J., Kudeyarov, V., Murdoch, P. and Z. Zhao-Liang (1996). Regional nitrogen budgets and riverine N & P fluxes for the drainages to the North Atlantic Ocean: Natural and human influences. Biogeochemistry, 35(1): 75-139.
Humborg, C., Rahm, L., Conley, D.J., Tamminen, T. and V.O.N. Bodungen (2008). Silicon and the Baltic Sea. Lonterm Si decrease in the Baltic Sea-A conceivable ecological risk? Journal of Marine Systems, 73(3-4): 221-222.
Lalaoui, M., Allia, Z. and M. Chebbah (2020). Hydrochemical processes and suitability assessment of surface water in the
Grouz Dam Basin, Northeast Algeria. J. Fundam. Appl. Sci, 12(3): 1452-1474.
Liu, K.K., Seitzinger, S., Mayorga, E., Harrison, J. and V. Ittekkot (2008). Fluxes of nutrients and selected organic pollutants carried by rivers, Chapter 8, In: E. Urban & S. Greenwood (Eds.) PACKMEDS - Dynamics and vulnerability of semi-enclosed marine systems: the integrated effects of changes in sediment and nutrient input from land. Scientific Committee on Progress in the Environment (SCOPE), 141-167.
Malmqvist, B. and S. Rundle (2002). Threats to the running water ecosystems of the world. Environmental Conservation, 29(2): 134-153.
Margat, J. and S. Treyer (2004). L’eau des méditerranéens: situation et perspectives. Plan Bleu PNUE/PAM, SophiaAntipolis, MAP Technical Report Series, 288p. Meybeck, M. (2003). Global analysis of river systems: from Earth system controls to Anthropogenic syndromes. Phil Trans R Soc Lond B, 358(1440): 1935-1955.
Nixon S.W. (2003). Replacing the Nile: Are anthropogenic nutrients providing the fertility once brought to the Mediterranean by Great River? Ambio, 32(1): 30-39.
Ounissi, M. and N. Bouchareb (2013). Nutrient distribution and fluxes from three Mediterranean coastal rivers (NE Algeria) under large damming. Comptes Rendus Géoscience, 345(2): 81-92.
Preston, S.D., Bierman, J.R.V.J. and S.E. Silliman (1989). An evaluation of methods for the estimation of tributary mass loads. Water Resour Res, 25(6): 1379-1389.
Ragueneau, O., Conley, D.J., Leynaert, A., Longphuirt, S.N. and C.P. Slomp (2006). Responses of coastal ecosystems to anthropogenic perturbations of silicon cycling. In: Unger, D., Humborg, C., Tac Ad, N. and Ittekkot, V. (Eds.), The Silicon Cycle. Human Perturbations, Impacts on Aquatic Systems. SCOPE Series 66, p. 296.
Redfield, A.C., Ketchum, B.H and F.E. Richards (1963). The influence of organisms on the composition of sea water, In: Hill, M.N. (Ed.), The Composition of Seawater: Comparative and Descriptive Oceanography. The Sea: Ideas and Observations on Progress in the Study of the Seas, 2: 26-77.