Abstract
Studies focused on limnology and quality of water bodies are essential to produce data that support the planning and management, diagnose the current situation and propose measures to minimize the possible negative impacts on water resources. The Tereza Botas creek drains the town of Poconé-MT, situated in the Pantanal border. In this sense, the objective of this study was to verify the variations in limnological characteristics along the longitudinal gradient and evaluate the water quality of the Tereza Botas watershed, identifying the impacts from anthropogenic activities of this important Pantanal watershed. Four sampling points along the longitudinal gradient of the water stream have been defined, and physical, chemical and microbiological variables were analyzed. The results indicated that the changes in limnological and water quality derive from the riparian vegetation removal, erosion and discharge of sewage in natura. In addition, high density of E. coli was observed in most of the sampled points, demonstrating that the lack of proper sanitation as well as the presence of rudimentary cesspit are negatively affecting water quality in the headwaters region.
Highlights
Pantanal is a flood plain that is subjected to a monomodal predictable flood pulse of low amplitude
Poconé is a town of Mato Grosso localized in the North Pantanal that, to many other Brazilian municipalities, presents several environmental problems related to the lack of urban infrastructure
The poor water quality of this creek is in part responsible for the deterioration of the water quality of Bento Gomes River, main source where water is collected for public supply of Poconé
Summary
Pantanal is a flood plain that is subjected to a monomodal predictable flood pulse of low amplitude. The Pantanal of Mato Grosso, which is localized in two Brazilian states, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso, do Sul, and in parts of Bolivia and Paraguay, is an important freshwater reserve in the world. This seasonally flooded wetland, one of the biggest in the world, recognized as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2001, houses a rich biodiversity, as much in species as in habitats and landscape (PERTEMANN, 2011; CUNHA and JUNK, 2011), becoming one of the most important Brazilian biome. The poor water quality of this creek is in part responsible for the deterioration of the water quality of Bento Gomes River, main source where water is collected for public supply of Poconé. Bento Gomes River is a tributary of Paraguay River, which is the main river that feeds the Pantanal
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