Ramírez-Zierold JA, Merino-Ibarra M, Monroy-Ríos E, Olson M, Castillo FS, Gallegos ME, Vilaclara G. 2010. 2010. Changing water, phosphorus and nitrogen budgets for Valle de Bravo reservoir, water supply for Mexico City Metropolitan Area. Lake Reserv. Manage. 26:23-34. Valle de Bravo reservoir (VB) provides water supply to the Mexico City Metropolitan Area and other surrounding cities. Nutrient loading to this reservoir increased 276% for phosphorus (P) and 203% for nitrogen (N) in a single decade. During 2002–2005, P and N mean loadings to VB were 120.8 × 10³ kg P/y and 591.8 × 10³ kg N/y. These loadings were quite variable because of source variations from uncontrolled domestic and agricultural inputs. More than half (56%) of the maximal water storage of the reservoir was withdrawn annually. Water withdrawal removed 22% of the P input. Comparative examination of P and N mass balances showed that most (85%) of the P input to VB accumulates in the sediments. Despite the hypolimnetic anoxia that VB exhibits from March to October, net P accumulation in the sediments is normally observed. Our results confirm that although VB behaves as a warm monomictic water body, its mean hypolimnetic temperature increases throughout the stratification period. Nitrogen limitation was indicated by the dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) to total dissolved P (DIN:TDP = 8.3, molar) ratio during stratification periods. We estimated that N₂ fixation exceeded denitrification. This net fixation could double the N loading from rivers and sewage. Management recommendations include (a) gauging of river and sewage inputs to VB, (b) reduction of P input through treatment of sewage from VB town and (c) monitoring and regulating fertilizers and other nonpoint source inputs in the Amanalco watershed. Valle de Bravo reservoir is similar to other eutrophic tropical lakes and reservoirs that could also improve their water quality through these management practices.

Physical processes play important roles in controlling eutrophication and oligotrophication. In stratified lakes, internal waves can cause vertical transport of heat and nutrients without breaking the stratification, through boundary mixing events. Such is the case in tropical Valle de Bravo (VB) reservoir lake, where strong diurnal winds drive internal waves, boundary mixing, and hypolimnetic warming during stratification periods. We monitored VB during 21 years (2001–2021) when important water-level fluctuations occurred, affecting mixing and nutrient flux. Stability also varied as a function of water level. Hypolimnetic warming (0.009–0.028 °C day⁻¹) occurred in all the stratifications monitored. We analyzed temperature distributions and modeled the hypolimnion heat budget to assess vertical mixing between layers (0.639–3.515 × 10⁻⁶ m³ day⁻¹), vertical diffusivity coefficient K_Z (2.5 × 10⁻⁶–13.6 × 10⁻⁶ m² s⁻¹), and vertical nutrient transport to the epilimnion. Nutrient flux from the metalimnion to the epilimnion ranged 0.42–5.99 mg P m⁻²day⁻¹ for soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and 5.8–101.7 mg N m⁻²day⁻¹ for dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN). Vertical mixing and the associated nutrient fluxes increase evidently as the water level decreases 8 m below capacity, and they can increase up to fivefold if the water level drops over 12 m. The observed changes related to water level affect nutrient recycling, ecosystemic metabolic balance, and planktonic composition of VB.

Nitrogen and phosphorous loading drives eutrophication of aquatic systems. Lakes and reservoirs are often effective N and P sinks, but the variability of their biogeochemical dynamics is still poorly documented, particularly in tropical systems. To contribute to the extending of information on tropical reservoirs and to increase the insight on the factors affecting N and P cycling in aquatic ecosystems, we here report on a long-term N and P mass balance (2003–2018) in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, which showed that this tropical eutrophic reservoir lake acts as a net sink of N (−41.7 g N m⁻² y⁻¹) and P (−2.7 g P m⁻² y⁻¹), mainly occurring through net sedimentation, equivalent to 181% and 68% of their respective loading (23.0 g N m⁻² y⁻¹ and 4.2 g P m⁻² y⁻¹). The N mass balance also showed that the Valle de Bravo reservoir has a high net N atmospheric influx (31.6 g N m⁻² y⁻¹), which was 1.3 times the external load and likely dominated by N₂ fixation. P flux was driven mainly by external load, while in the case of N, net fixation also contributed. During a period of high water level fluctuations, the net N atmospheric flux decreased by 50% compared to high level years. Our results outlining water regulation can be used as a useful management tool of water bodies, by decreasing anoxic conditions and net atmospheric fluxes, either through decreasing nitrogen fixation and/or promoting denitrification and other microbial processes that alleviate the N load. These findings also sustain the usefulness of long-term mass balances to assess biogeochemical dynamics and its variability.

Nitrogen and phosphorous loading drives eutrophication of aquatic systems. Lakes and reservoirs are often effective N and P sinks, but information is needed on the variability of their biogeochemical dynamics, especially for tropical systems. A long-term N and P mass balance (2003-2018) in a small tropical eutrophic reservoir lake, Valle de Bravo (VB), Mexico, showed it is a net sink of N (-41.7 g N m-2 y-1), and P (-2.7 g P m-2 y-1), mainly through net sedimentation, equivalent to 181% and 68% of their respective loading (23.0 g N m-2 y-1 and 4.2 g P m-2 y-1). N mass balance showed that VB has a high net N atmospheric influx (31.6 g N m-2 y-1), which was 1.3 times the external load, and likely dominated by N2 fixation. During a period of high water level fluctuations (WLF), the net N atmospheric flux decreased by half compared to high level years. WLF can be a useful management tool to improve the trophic status of water bodies by decreasing anoxic conditions and net atmospheric fluxes, possibly through decreasing nitrogen fixation and/or promoting denitrification and other microbial processes that alleviate the N load.