San Roque Dam sediment study reveals 120 years of pollution

An interdisciplinary team from the National University of Córdoba (UNC) has reconstructed over 120 years of human-driven environmental degradation in the San Roque Dam through sediment analysis. Using techniques to study grain size, phosphorus levels, and radioactive components like lead and cesium, researchers identified environmental changes dating back to 1898.

The study highlights that the lake, which supplies water to 70 percent of the city of Córdoba, is suffering from hypereutrophication. This condition is driven by a lack of urban planning and public policy, resulting in the discharge of sewage into rivers and the lake itself. Additionally, deforestation and fires have increased organic matter, fueling the massive growth of algae and dangerous cyanobacteria.

The research was conducted by the GeolimnoLab, part of the Center for Earth Sciences Research (Cicterra, Conicet-UNC), involving specialists in Earth Sciences, Physics, Geography, Art, and Chemical Engineering.