Spatial-temporal assessment of water quality parameters in Mindu Reservoir, Morogoro, for conservation support

Water quality assessment is vital for the protection of human health and environmental ecosystems. Water quality is dynamic due to environmental changes, necessitating the need for frequent assessments. Mindu Reservoir is the main source of freshwater supply (providing 80% of freshwater demand) in Morogoro urban and peri-urban areas. This study aims to perform spatial–temporal assessment of water quality parameters to aid conservation operations in Mindu Reservoir. The study has used fortnight interval in in-situ data collection from November 2024 to April 2025 for Turbidity, TSS, EC and pH at 10 pre-established monitoring points. Laboratory procedures involved exploration of numerical values of these parameters, considering variations with depth. Results revealed high TSS (13.083–41.667 mg/L) signifying possible soil loss from the catchment, high Turbidity (33.47–79.87 NTU), low salinity (EC 0–0.25 mS/cm) and classifies Mindu Reservoir as alkaline (pH 7.4–9.55). The studied trends have created a baseline aiding current and future monitoring of water quality parameters.