Determination of Surface Water Quality Parameters of Creeks in Mogan Lake Basin (Ankara, Türkiye)

Abstract

The present research focuses on assessing the environmentally significant Mogan Lake and its feeder creeks water quality parameters, all of which hold recreational importance for Ankara. In light of the findings, a) The ranking of the creeks based on the average parameter values for each creek over three months is as follows: for TSS and TOC: Gölcük > Başpınar > Sukesen > Yavrucak; for TN: Başpınar > Gölcük > Sukesen > Yavrucak; for TP: Gölcük > Sukesen >Başpınar > Yavrucak, b) Based on dissolved oxygen values, Sukesen and Yavrucak Creeks were classified as Class I water quality, while in terms of pH values, all creek waters were in Class I. However, in terms of total phosphorus, they were classified as Class III water quality, c) TP, TOC were found to be controlled by wastewater reaching Başpınar and Sukesen Creek from both settlements and agricultural activities, while wastewater originating from agricultural activities was found to be directly responsible for DO, TN and TSS levels as in Gölcük and Yavrucak Creeks. In this context, monitoring the high TP, TN and TOC values of four creeks in the basin, which are exposed to multiple stressors, is important to protect the water quality of these creeks and to control their contribution to the eutrophication of Mogan Lake.