Chemical classification of the water in a lowland river basin (Salado River, Buenos Aires, Argentina) affected by hydraulic modifications

The main ions were measured seasonally during two years at 13 sampling stations in the Salado River and its main tributaries. The importance of each ion was assessed by standard methods used to examine ionic composition and by multivariate methods. The K-means clustering and Principal Component Analysis were applied to the percentages of the major ions. The concentration of the major cations are in the order Na+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+ > K+ and the major anions, Cl− > SO 4 2−  > HCO 3 −  > CO 3 2− , and the salinity was high (mean TDS 2,691 mg l−1) due to sodium chloride. Using the proportions of the ions was possible to identify seven types of water within the basin related to discharges of different river sub-catchments and from endorheic catchments (in a sand dune region) actually connected with the basin by canals. The chemical composition of the basin is consequence of surface waters receiving salts from groundwater, evaporation and weathering of Post-Pampeano materials, and of anthropogenic impact by diversion between subcatchments for flood control. These results allowed us to test the marked effects on the ionic balance of basin at the base of a diversion management from endorheic catchments characterized by high salinity waters.