<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

Variations in physical and chemical conditions were investigated at Wadi Al-Arab Dam Reservoir (Jordan). Mean surface water temperature was 22.5°C and two distinctive temperature layers, epilimnion (down to 15 m, mean temperature 28.6°C) and hypolimnion (down to 35 m, mean temperature 21.1°C) were recognized in May. Minimum water transparency was recorded at 32 cm in July and maximum at 135 cm in August. The mean surface pH (8.0) and salinity (1.54 mg l-1) showed no pattern of variation, with pH values of 9.31-8.1 and 5.1-3.1 recorded between February and July at 0-15 m and 15-35 m, respectively; and higher values of salinity (1.88 mg l-1 and 1.84 mg l-1) in the wet season. Electrical conductivity values ranged between 912 and 1257 μS cm-1, with the highest values in summer. Records at station I and II showed a mean total alkalinity of 541.04 mg l-1 CaCO3 and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels of 6.2-8.9 mg l-1 with the observation of the highest (8.0 mg l-1) and lowest (4.0 mg l-1) DO values in April at the surface and 15 m, respectively. In May, DO values dropped from 7.31 mg l-1 in the upper layer to 3.85 mg l-1 in the deepest layer. Nutrients as nitrate revealed minimum (0.7 mg l-1 N-NO3) and maximum (30.4 mg l-1 N-NO3) concentrations at the surface in station I and II, respectively. Levels of P-PO4 were also high at stations I and II (0.73 mg l-1 PO4 and 1.02 mg l-1 PO4) in May and June, respectively. However, the minimum value (0.14-0.16 mg l-1 PO4) was recorded in October at both stations. Disolved reactive silica (DRS) levels showed low values of 2.55-11.46 mg l-1 (station I in June) and 2.33-7.60 mg l-1 (station II in May and December), respectively.
</abstract>

Variations in physical and chemical conditions were investigated at Wadi Al-Arab Dam Reservoir (Jordan). Mean surface water temperature was 22.5°C and two distinctive temperature layers, epilimnion (down to 15 m, mean temperature 28.6°C) and hypolimnion (down to 35 m, mean temperature 21.1°C) were recognized in May. Minimum water transparency was recorded at 32 cm in July and maximum at 135 cm in August. The mean surface pH (8.0) and salinity (1.54 mg l-1) showed no pattern of variation, with pH values of 9.31-8.1 and 5.1-3.1 recorded between February and July at 0-15 m and 15-35 m, respectively; and higher values of salinity (1.88 mg l-1 and 1.84 mg l-1) in the wet season. Electrical conductivity values ranged between 912 and 1257 μS cm-1, with the highest values in summer. Records at station I and II showed a mean total alkalinity of 541.04 mg l-1 CaCO3 and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels of 6.2-8.9 mg l-1 with the observation of the highest (8.0 mg l-1) and lowest (4.0 mg l-1) DO values in April at the surface and 15 m, respectively. In May, DO values dropped from 7.31 mg l-1 in the upper layer to 3.85 mg l-1 in the deepest layer. Nutrients as nitrate revealed minimum (0.7 mg l-1 N-NO3) and maximum (30.4 mg l-1 N-NO3) concentrations at the surface in station I and II, respectively. Levels of P-PO4 were also high at stations I and II (0.73 mg l-1 PO4 and 1.02 mg l-1 PO4) in May and June, respectively. However, the minimum value (0.14-0.16 mg l-1 PO4) was recorded in October at both stations. Disolved reactive silica (DRS) levels showed low values of 2.55-11.46 mg l-1 (station I in June) and 2.33-7.60 mg l-1 (station II in May and December), respectively.

Physicochemical features of Wadi Al-Arab Dam (reservoir), Jordan

Department of Applied Biological Sciences

Jordan University of Science and Technology

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies

{"article-title":"Physicochemical features of Wadi Al-Arab Dam (reservoir), Jordan"}

Variations in physical and chemical conditions were investigated at Wadi Al-Arab Dam Reservoir (Jordan). Mean surface water temperature was 22.5°C and two...

Physicochemical features of Wadi Al-Arab Dam (reservoir), Jordan

Published Online: Jan 05, 2011

Page range: 189 - 203

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10009-010-0057-x

Keywords
reservoir, seasonality, physicochemical features, nutrients

This content is open access.

Physicochemical features of Wadi Al-Arab Dam (reservoir), Jordan

Published Online: Jan 05, 2011

Page range: 189 - 203

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10009-010-0057-x

Keywordsreservoir, seasonality, physicochemical features, nutrients

This content is open access.

Keywords
reservoir, seasonality, physicochemical features, nutrients