Energy Budget, Water Quality Parameters and Primary Production Modeling in Lake Volvi in Northern Greece

Abstract

A lake’s water quality and its ecosystem structure are mainly determined by heat storage change through its energy budget, dissolved oxygen, nutrients and primary productivity. A one-dimensional water quality model for lakes was used to estimate temperature, dissolved oxygen, phytoplankton (as chlorophyll-α), and inorganic and organic phosphorus. Evaporation, energy budget and surface water temperature were also computed. The results of the mathematical model simulation are presented and evaluated. Data from Lake Volvi in Central Macedonia (in northern Greece) for three successive years (2013 to 2015) were used to calibrate and recalibrate the model. The model results of water temperature, dissolved oxygen and primary productivity (Chlα) were compared with measurements for the years 2013 to 2015. The comparison showed that the predicted values of these parameters were all in good agreement with the measurements. The simulation results of water quality parameters generally exhibited the same seasonal dynamic and inter-annual variations as the measured data. The simulation results of the model application provided important information on changes in the physical, chemical and biological variables of the lake. The water temperature and heat fluxes at the water–atmosphere interface are crucial variables related to climate changes.