WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF THE BASINS LA LAUCHA. LA LEJIA AND LA RASTROJERA USING AQUATIC MACROINVERTEBRALES AS BIOINDICATORS, MUNICIPIO DE DURANIA, DEPARTAMENTO DE NOR­TE DE SANTANDER, COLOMBIA

Abstract

From june to september 2004 a water research was carried out in six stations that are located at the following microbasins: La Laucha (S1), La Lejía (S2, S3 and S6), and La Rastrojera (S4 and S5), those microbasins are localized at the Durania municipality in Norte de Santander department. This study was carried out in order to evaluate water quality at the microbasins above mentioned using macroinvertebrates as bioindicators. For physical, chemical and microbiological parameters a sample was taken at each station. The results were correlated with biologic parameters and it may be concluded that the station 5 closer to the town of Durania is the most polluted by organic matter and that those stations that belong to the ritral zone are less contaminated. The final result showed that the stations 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 have conditions that can be classified as very clear to clear water and station 5 presents high contamination level.