In:
Lakes & Reservoirs: Science, Policy and Management for Sustainable Use, Wiley, Vol. 19, No. 2 ( 2014-06), p. 142-157
Abstract:
Many reservoirs have been constructed throughout the world during the 20th century, with many also suffering from eutrophication. The resulting increased phytoplankton biomass in reservoirs impairs their use. Except for Lake Kinneret, the environmental status of lakes and reservoirs in the M iddle E ast is poorly documented. K araoun reservoir, also known as Q aroun, Q araoun or Q arun, is the largest water body in Lebanon, having been constructed for irrigation and hydropower production. This present study reviews K araoun reservoir, including its characteristics, uses, water quality and phytoplankton succession, to assess the environmental status of the reservoir on the basis of the few existing previous publications about the reservoir. Since 2004, which is 39 years after its construction, the reservoir is considered to be hypereutrophic, with low phytoplankton biodiversity and regular blooms of toxic cyanobacteria. The nutrient and trace metal concentrations would not prevent use of the reservoir for a drinking water supply for B eirut, as is currently being planned, although not all the micropollutants in the lake were documented. K araoun reservoir is compared to other monitored lakes and reservoirs around the M editerranean Sea. They share annual toxic cyanobacteria blooms of A phanizomenon ovalisporum and of M icrocystis aeruginosa . The phytoplankton composition and succession of K araoun reservoir is more similar to E l G ergal reservoir ( S pain) than nearby natural lakes such as L ake K inneret ( I srael) and L ake T richonis ( G reece). Phytoplankton diversity in K araoun reservoir was the lowest, due to higher nutrient concentrations and a larger decrease in water level in the dry season. K araoun reservoir represents an interesting example of the potential response of the phytoplankton community in other lakes and reservoirs during the drought periods expected to occur as a result of global climate change.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1320-5331
,
1440-1770
DOI:
10.1111/lre.2014.19.issue-2
Language:
English
Publisher:
Wiley
Publication Date:
2014
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2020624-0
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1306318-2
SSG:
12
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