Quality and Availability of Water in three Microcuencuas Coastal Municipality of Tola, Nicaragua

Abstract

Economic activities, population growth, as well as global climate change, have increased pressure on water resources in Nicaragua. This is reflected in a decrease in the availability and the loss of quality of these resources. Consequently, local governments have formed strategic alliances with international organizations and academic institutions to produce basic information necessary for the creation and implementation of land use plans, in order to prepare for future water demands. Tourism development in the coastal strip of the municipality of Tola has produced changes in land use, lack of protection of recharge areas of aquifers, the potential risk of seawater intrusion by over-pumping of groundwater in the coastal zone, and problems with solid waste disposal. The results of this study indicate water availability in both, surface and groundwater, in the three coastal watersheds studied, although its quality has been affected by the presence of fecal material in water wells, and carbamate pesticide residues in rivers. The Family Biotic Index by Hilsenhoff showed that the water is relatively poor in the upper and middle sections of the 3 watersheds. A new species for Nicaragua’s South Pacific (Theodoxus sp.) was identified, and one first reported in 1972 in San Juan del Sur (Trinectes fonsecensis). Although water is available in quantity, problems of quality restrict its use for human consumption; so it is necessary to raise public awareness of the municipality in terms of protection, cleanliness and proper use of water resources.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/uyc.v5i8.314

Universidad y Ciencia No 8 Año 5 2010 13-21