The Sinu River is the main watershed of the State of Cordoba and the main water source in the city of Monteria. In recent years, due to demographic growth, industrial development, resources extraction and lack of control, the watershed has been enduring a huge pressure, which has caused a growing deterioration. Nowadays, the population that has direct contact with river don’t know the amount of damage caused to the water quality due to all the activities involved around it. This is why it’s necessary to make studies that evaluate the impact of all human activities over the water quality.
The main purpose of this research is to evaluate the impact generated by the city of Monteria over the quality of the Sinu River water. In order to reach this goal, there will be evaluated the following indexes: ICA-NSF, ICA-ROJAS and ICAUCA, which will provide relevant information about all the phisical-quimical and microbiological characteristics in 8 sample points (right Riviera, left Riviera and integrated), allowing us to infere about the actual state of all environmental conditions in these section of the river. At the same time, this will be asociated to the bio-indication of aquatic macro-invertebrates. To do this, there will be done a direct collection using the BMWP index to calculate que water quality through the identification of the aquatic macro-invertebrates families, these last thing will be done in three different simple points (upper water, mid-water and lowe water).
To date, it has been executed one inspection visit in order to determine the aliquot collecting stations and biological samples. The first sampling has been done already in the stablished points, and all the ICA-NSF, ICA-ROJAS and ICAUCA indexes were done, and the average result was 54,62, 65,38 and 56,83 respectively. The first one is at level 3, shows a mid-quality water. The second and third ones are level 4, which qualifies as good water.
On the other hand, macro-invertebrated research has started with the identification of the first 75 individuals collected in a 70%. In a peculiar way it can be confirmed that the families found have been Gerridae and Naucoridae (Hemiptera), Lycosidae and Pisauridae (Araneae), Atydae (Decapoda) and Neritidae (Gastropoda).
It is expected to be realized the participative socialization of the results as an estrategy of social apropiation of knowledge, looking to generate concience in the Riverside comunity to minimize water dumpings and solid waste generation, as well as the accordings with the local environmental authorities after showing them the results of the investigation to support the baseline for the generation of protection and control measures for the watershed.
Fort he next samplings, which will be made in different stages of the year, it is expected the variability of the concentrations of each parameter, as well as the diversity of macro-invertebrated, studying the grade of disturbance by the city over the River.