Phosphorus Accounting of Lake Atitlán in Guatemala

Abstract

While the population of the Guatemalan Lake Atitlán basin grows at a rapid pace, the flow of the nutrient phosphorus into the lake has reached a point where eutrophication is imminent again, after already having occurred in 2009 and 2015. This researchs hows which nutrient flows can be adapted to counter balance the current negative nutrient balance. A material flow analysis for the nutrient phosphorus in the boundariesof the Lake Atitlán catchment area was created to this end. The results confirm the negative trend and show where a reduction in the use of phosphorus fertilizer and there placement with livestock manure in agricultural practices, as well as an adapted waste water management system, have an enormous potential to balance out the current trend.