WATER QUALITY OF WETLANDS OF LOWER ALGERIAN SAHARA

Abstract

Wetlands constitute indispensable ecosystem for ecological equilibrate of Saharan zones. They constitute a very vulnerable resource of water. Their water was affected by entropic action and dryness. The carried analysis of wetlands water of lower Sahara of Algeria indicated that are very salty. The salinity of water varied between seasons by climatic conditions and rise of ground water. The waters are generally alkaline. The water quality varied from wetland to other related to resource (ground water, agricultural and urban drainage water). Results of pollution indicator indicated that waters of Ain El Beida and Oum El-Ranneb chotts are very pollute with very important rate of organic matter and very rich with salts. The other wetlands water (Sidi Slimen chott, Megarine, Temacine, Merdjaja, Ayata and Hassi Ben Abdallah lakes) are salty and less rich en organic matter. The dominant salts in water are chloral-magnesium and chloral-sodium, which don‟t change through season; this indicates that waters are stable. At the same time, there is significant variation through season of salts contents, related to dissolution/inauguration of salts affected by climatic condition and water resource (rise of ground water in winter).