The input of nutrients is a major problem related to artificial reservoirs. The Capibaribe river, specifically the upstream the Jucazinho reservoir, is the destination of domestic sewer and industrial effluents. These effluents, when discharged without proper treatment, generate a series of disturbances in the water body, later arriving at Jucazinho reservoir, causing even bigger problems such as eutrophication. This paper describes the methodology and the results obtained with the formulation of a model representing the phosphorus load accumulated in reservoir Jucazinho from measured data of total phosphorus throughout the water column. The study allowed us to estimate the average contribution of phosphorus as well as the reduction percentage of this element since the release of effluents into Capibaribe river upstream the reservoir, providing support for planning the operation of this water source.
total phosphorus; reservoir; Jucazinho
