Assessment of improvement scenario for water quality in Mogan Lake by using the AQUATOX Model

Abstract

In this study, the improvement scenarios for water quality in Mogan Lake were investigated using the AQUATOX Model. The ecosystem model AQUATOX simulates conventional pollutants, such as nutrients and sediments, and considers several trophic levels, including attached and planktonic algae, submerged aquatic vegetation, several types of invertebrates, and several types of fish. In this study, all data measured at both lakes and creeks was loaded into the AQUATOX Model including both initial concentration and dynamic loading for the year 2002. Then, the AQUATOX Model was calibrated and verified for the years 2004 and 2005. Accordingly, the Aquatox Model was utilized for the analysis of future scenarios as to improve water quality in terms of conventional parameters such as dissolved oxygen, temperature, total suspended solids, pH, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and labile and refractory organic matters in water colon and sediment. During the development of future scenarios, some plans regarding measures were taken into account the modeling periods. In one of the scenarios, constructed wetlands located in big creeks' mouths were used for improving the water quality in Mogan Lake. The results indicated that Mogan Lake would improve its hypertrophic situation towards eutrophic situation. It would be anticipated that if the situation goes on like this, Mogan Lake would improve eutrophic situation towards mezotrophic situation.