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Rio Cardenas, Panama City, Panama

Panama, Panama, Panama City

Rio Cardenas is one of the eight rivers of Panama City, Panama. Urban contamination is threatening biodiversity in this river. The urban contamination and sediments carried by rain can change the color of the water from yellow to dark green.

Submitted by: Juan Medina
Approved by: Juan M. Artigas Azas & Jairo Arroyave

GPS: 9.0020676, -79.5622635

Geographical region: Central America
Drainage Basin: Matasnillo basin (basin #142)
River catchment: Rio Cardenas
Water body type: Rio
Water body name: Rio Cardenas
Water body part
Water body course
Water body: tributary of
Tributary name

Videos above and below water

Water Chemistry

Water information

Water type: Fresh water
Water color: Mixed water
Water transparency: Medium
Concentration of sediments: Medium
Water temperature: 28 °C
Water flow/curent: Slow

Chemical parameters

pH: 7.8
Conductivity: 570
GH
KH
Dissolved Oxygen

Substrate in nature

Sand: Grey
Pebble/Gravel: Grey
Stone: Mixed
Stone form: Irregular
Silt/Mud: Reddish
Leaves: Few
Driftwood: Many
Submerged terrestrial vegetation: No

Aquatic Biotope

Date of collecting: 16/05/2020 & 17/06/2021
Collecting area
Water depth: 0,2m
Air temperature: 29 °C
Sunlight: Partial shade

Environment

Environment

Human settlements

Human settlements

Urban area

Surrounding area

In Clayton Village flows Rio Cardenas, a vulnerable stream protected by an urban forest. Many trees and palm species from the urban forest protect and offer shade to the stream.

Adiantum spp. ferns grow in the clay, while various moss species grow on wood. Water invertebrates and amphibious are not observable during the day. Small spiders hide between rocks. The air is charged with humidity and the temperature is high.

Underwater landscape

Fishes:

Neoheterandria tridentiger
Poecilia gillii

Plants:

Adiantum spp.

The canal consists of red and brown clay. This stream is filled with rocks of differents shapes and sizes. Underwater vegetation is not present.

Threats to ecology

The river is contaminated with plastic and glass debris. Clothing and fabrics are also trapped in tree roots and palm branches.

Contaminants from urban wastewater and stormwater can change the color of the water, which varies from yellow to dark green.

Riparian zone

Trees near the aquatic habitat: Many -

Comment by the expert

Juan M. Artigas Azas: No literature is used, and no invertebrates are mentioned, there appears to be an incomplete list of species in the habitat.

Jairo Arroyave: I was left wondering if there are no photos or videos from the underwater habiitat because of visibility issues; from the surface the water looks very murky (seemingly due to sediment). If that is the case perhaps the author should have mentioned it, because as is, it is not very easy to compare BIN and BAM, atleast visually. Nonetheless, I can imagine that the BAM is a failt accurate representation of the BIN since the matrix of the tank was basically extracted directly from the BIN, according to the author, but you can also tell. In terms of research about the biotic and abiotic characteristics of this biotope, the information provided appears very basic and barely sufficient.