Water quality and zooplankton composition in a receiving pond of the stormwater runoff from an urban catchment.

ABSTRACT

Six storm periods were monitored from November 2002 to September 2005 at two stations of a receiving pond of the stormwater runoff from a small urban catchment of the city of Santa Fe, Argentina. Weekly samples were taken before and after rain events under different conditions of temperature, pluvial precipitation, and duration of the previous dry period. A sampling station was established at the outlet of the catchment (S1) and another one near the outlet of the receiving pond (S2). Both stations differed significantly in their dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration, temperature, transparency, and zooplankton composition. The concentrations of nutrients and BOD5 values indicated permanently eutrophic condition at both stations. After rainstorms, the concentrations of lead, zinc and suspended solids showed a marked increase. The zooplankton composition at S1 was characterized by the abundance of protozoans (Dexiostoma campylum (Stokes) Didinium nasutum Muller, Plagyopila cf nasuta, and Bdelloidea rotifers (Philodina sp and Rotaria sp), while Monogononta rotifers and small cladocerans were dominant at S2. The most abundant species were the rotifers Platyias quadricornis (Ehrenberg), Mytilina ventralis (Ehrenberg) and Lepadella ovalis (Muller), and the cladoceran Chydorus pubescens Sars.