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Date Published: 11/06/2021
ARCHIVED - Mar Menor water quality reported to be the best in years
As summer begins the problem of mud on the western shore still lingers but other parameters indicate recovery
There continue to be grave concerns over the quality of the water in the Mar Menor, but data produced by the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena UPCT lead experts to conclude that in general terms the situation is as positive as it has been in recent years.
The problem of accumulated mud along the inland shore continues to linger despite the efforts of various clean-up teams, and the visibility in the lagoon varies from one day to another depending on prevailing winds and other factors, but the latest UPCT report concludes that the water is relatively clear and the level of phytoplankton indicates that the lagoon is continuing to recover from the episodes of eutrophication and anoxia of recent years.
Following the historic gota fría storm of September 2019 one of the most alarming alterations in the marine environment was a dramatic drop in the level of salinity, but the latest data show that this indicator has returned to levels last seen in 2017, according to the UPCT.
However, another source of data at the regional government’s CanalMarMenor website shows that although the salinity level has risen to around 41.5 from approximately 39 a year ago, it is still well short of the figure of 45 which was the norm prior to September 2019.
At the same time, the UPCT also find that the chlorophyll level is low while the turbidity data are reported to be the best for five years. These findings lead Javier Gilabert of the university to state that “in general terms we can say that the Mar Menor is getting better”.
But the mud along the western shore remains a problem, and although those heading out towards the centre of the lagoon can expect to find clear, healthy water the first few metres of their experience are likely to be more problematic. Inevitably this will deter some visitors from coming to the area, and the feeling in coastal resorts such as Los Urrutias is that more reinforcements are needed to the beach and shoreline cleaning teams.
As ever, it has to be remembered that the condition of the Mar Menor is, at best, fragile, and if its recovery after the disastrous episodes of recent years is to continue then much depends on the ability to minimize the amount of harmful nitrates running into the lagoon from the agricultural land of the Campo de Cartagena and the aquifer which lies beneath it.
Image 1: @MarMenorKO
Image 2: UPCT, blue=clear, red=murky
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