Water chemistry of Lake Quilotoa (Ecuador) and assessment of natural hazards

Abstract

A geochemical survey carried out in November 1993 revealed that Lake Quilotoa was composed by a thin (∼14m) oxic epilimnion overlying a ∼200m-thick anoxic hypolimnion. Dissolved CO2 concentrations reached 1000mg/kg in the lower stratum. Loss of CO2 from epilimnetic waters, followed by calcite precipitation and a consequent lowering in density, was the apparent cause of the stratification.The Cl, SO4 and HCO3 contents of Lake Quilotoa are intermediate between those of acid–SO4–Cl Crater lakes and those of neutral-HCO3 Crater lakes, indicating that Lake Quilotoa has a ‘memory’ of the inflow and absorption of HC1- and S-bearing volcanic (magmatic) gases. The Mg/Ca ratios of the lake waters are governed by dissolution of local volcanic rocks or magmas, but K/Na ratios were likely modified by precipitation of alunite, a typical mineral in acid–SO4–Cl Crater lakes.The constant concentrations of several conservative chemical species from lake surface to lake bottom suggest that physical, chemical and biological processes did not have enough time, after the last overturn, to cause significant changes in the contents of these chemical species. This lapse of time might be relatively large, but it cannot be established on the basis of available data. Besides, the lake may not be close to steady state. Mixing of Lake Quilotoa waters could presently be triggered by either cooling epilimnetic waters by ∼4°C or providing heat to hypolimnetic waters or by seismic activity.Although Quilotoa lake contains a huge amount of dissolved CO2(∼3×1011g), at present the risk of a dangerous limnic eruption seems to be nil even though some gas exsolution might occur if deep lake waters were brought to the surface. Carbon dioxide could build up to higher levels in deep waters than at present without any volcanic re-awakening, due to either a large inflow of relatively cool CO2-rich gases, or possibly a long interval between overturns. Periodical geochemical surveys of Lake Quilotoa are, therefore, recommended.