ECOLOGICAL AND FISHERIES MAJVAGEMENT OF EDKU LAKE

ECOLOGICAL AND FISHERIES MAJVAGEMENT OF EDKU LAKE
1. HYDRO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERS OF EDKU LAKE
BY
}rfAAIDOUH jlJ. ABBAS*, L.M. SHAKWEER AiVD D.H. YOlJSSEF
*Nationallnstitll.te ofOceanography and Fisheries. Alexandria – Eg.\-pt.
Key words: Ecology, Lake Edku, Hydro-chemical parameters
ABSTRACT
The present sllidy deals with the chemical composition of Edku
lake water. Seasonal samples were collected from 10 sampling
stations covering the open water area ofthe lake during 1999 2000.
The minimum H’ater temperature was recorded as 15. 30u
e Juring
winter ,.-hile the maximum ,..as 26. 5°C dUring summer.
The maximum ralue of IOtal dissolved solids ,..as fOllnd as 5.9..J
gm L at the area near the lake-sea connection. while the minimum
was 1. 31gm L Cli the middle of the lake. The vallies of total dissoh’ed
solids raried between 1.5 and 2.5gmL at the most parts (?f the lake.
Such decrease in water salinity enhanced the jlourlshment of
macroph.vtes iO corer wide areas ofthe lake. The total dissolved solids
in the lake H’ater decreased graduall.r through the last 10 years.
The dissolved o.\ygen in the lake ll’ater attained high ralues far
from the outlets of Bersik and EI-KhailJ’ drains and decreased near
these owlets.
It is worth mentioning that. Edku lake receives high amounts of
nutrient salts (nitrogen salts. phosphates and silicate5) through the
drainage water ofEI-KhailJ~and Bersik drains.
For abow 58% ofthe collected samples. the percentage ofnitrate
to IOlal inorganic nitrogen exceeded 75%. This indicates that nitrate