Limnological Review 4 (2004) 11–16

Lakes of Río Horcones valley, Southern Andes, Argentina

Dariusz Borowiak

University of Gdańsk, Department of Limnology,

Dmowskiego 16a, 80–264 Gdańsk

Abstract: The results of research on 6 shallow-water Andean lakes of Río Horcones valley, situated at altitudes between 2980 and
4380 m, have been compiled. In comparison with lakes of other high-mountain areas, these lakes reveal a strongly marked
individuality of physico-chemical parameters of their waters. In its shaping there can be traced an influence of both the altitude and
geochemical factor. The first determines the diversity of characteristics within the group of water bodies under study, the latter reflects
its regional distinctiveness.

Key words: high-mountain lakes, water chemistry, water temperature, Aconcagua.

Introduction The aim of this project was an evaluation of

High-mountain lakes reveal numerous similarities
determined, among others, by usually higher, in
comparison with adjacent areas, precipitation
indices, small alimentation areas, greater
exposition to the operation of solar radiation, longer
period of impact of low temperatures (below zero).
All that makes the ecosystems pristine, of less
biodiversity, sensitive to all symptoms of changes
of the environment, due to which ecological
processes may be more easily identified and
measured in them (Forbes, 1887). They also show
a far reaching distinctiveness resulting from the
diversity of local geological or climatological
conditions. As the lakes are situated in catchments
of headstream river systems, the understanding of
the ecology of land waters is impossible without
exploring high-moutain streams and lakes
(Marchetto, 1998). The research interest in the
Andean mountain lakes has so far been usually
limited to large water bodies (Löffler, 1959, Quiros,
1988), while small shallow-water reservoirs have
been neglected.
the influence of absolute altitude and hydrological
regime of lakes, as well as local catchment conditions
on physico-chemical properties of Andean shallow-
water lakes. There was also performed a
comparative analysis with other lakes of chosen high-
mountain regions.
Area of study
The investigated lakes are situated in Río Horcones
Valley encircling the Aconcagua massif (6962 m
above the sea level), Cordillera Principal from the
south (Horcones Inferior) and from the west
(Horcones Superior). The whole area lies within the
Aconcagua Provincial Park. The lakes lie at an
altitude between 2980 and 4380 m (Fig. 1). Five of
them are typical small glacial lakes formed on the
surface of a moraine covering the glacier (lakes 2,
3, 4), and proglacial ones whose basins are
hollows between moraine bars and a glacier tongue
(lakes 1, 5). Their areas do not exceed 0.1 ha. Only
Laguna Horcones, situated at the mouth of the
12 Dariusz Borowiak

valley, is a larger water body whose length is about
60 m, width about 40 m, maximum depth 6 m
(Peralta and Claps, 2002). In terms of age, apart
from Laguna Horcones, these are objects of
contemporary origin, of seasonal character. While the
basin of Laguna Horcones was formed in the
Pleistocene in a depression between moraines of the
Horcones glaciation, whose recession occurred about
9700 ±5000 and 15000 ±2100 years BP (Espiuza,
1999).

Fig. 1. Rìo Horcones valley – location of the lakes under study. Small glacial lakes are marked with solid circles
 Lakes of Río Horcones valley, Southern Andes, Argentina
The area of study is situated in the Aconcagua
fold and trust belt showing complex structural
conditions and deversity of geological units. Among
rocks of various ages there dominate sandstones
and limestones of the Cretaceous period, Jurassic
evaporites (gypsum) and red beds (sandstones,
conglomerates and shales) as well as Cenozoic
(Miocene) volcanic sheets covering the upper parts
of the valley (Ramos et al., 1996).
Methods
The field experiment covered measurements of
temperature, pH and conductivity of water which
were performed from the shore using Combo HI
98129 meter made by Hanna. The time of
measurements was determined by afternoon hours
between 3 and 5 pm. Additionally from two lakes
there were also taken 0.5 litre water samples for
further detailed hydrochemical analysiss.
Determinations the basic ionic composition were
performed after three weeks, and water samples
were stored in temperature close to 4°C (container
with ice, fridge). The lakes were investigated once
in the period between 30th January and 8th
February 2004.
To determine the concentration of basic anions,
the method of ionic chromatography (Dionex 500)
was used for sulphate (SO4) and chloride (Cl) ions,
and the titration method for bicarbonate (HCO3) ions.
However, to determine cations, the absorptive (Buck
210 VGP: Ca, Mg) and emissive (Jenway PFP7:
Na, K) atomic spectrophotometry was used. Silica
and iron were determined photometrically (PhotoLab
Spektral).
Results
In terms of thermal conditions the lakes of Río
Horcones Valley are very varied. Surface water
temperatures ranged from 2.1°C (Lake No. 3) to
13.9°C (Laguna Horcones). Changes of absolute
values and altitude gradient of temperature are
strongly influenced by the intensity of horizontal
water exchange. Lakes without outflow are
13
characterised by temperatures higher by about 8.5–
9.0°C in comparison with reservoirs revealing even
the smallest symptoms of surface outflow (Fig. 2).
Altitude gradients were 0.6–0.8°C/100 m
respectively, where higher decreases were
observed in lakes with outflow in which there was
recorded a continuous inflow of cold melting water.
Fig. 2. Changes in lake surface water temperature according to
altitude. Open circles mark closed lakes and solid circles
outflow lakes in the Rìo Horcones valley area. Triangels
denotes large Argentinian mountain lakes located between
parallels 33°20’S and 35°40’S, samplied by Quiros (1988)
Chemical characteristics of lakes stiuated in
extreme altitude levels are presented in Table 1 pH
values change in a narrow range from 8.2–8.6
showing a relative stability in the whole discussed
area. Hence, the main form of inorganic carbon of
the lakes are bicarbonates. As for the conditions of
primeval oligotrophic mountain lakes, the general
quantity of dissolved substances is relatively high,
reaching in L. Horcones 12.24 meq/l. The
dominating ions appear to be basically
magnesium and sulphates, though in lake No. 3 on
the side of anions there slightly dominate
bicarbonates (846 µeq/l). There is a considerable
participation of cations of sea origin (Na+, Mg++),
which could indicate their geochemical origin,
despite the closeness of the Pacific (130 km) from
where there flow humid rain-bearing air masses
transporting marine aerosols. The concentration of
iron shows stability in the range of values 0.3–0.4
mg/l. The silica content is varied reflecting the
influence of the altitude factor.
14 Dariusz Borowiak

Table 1. Reaction (pH), conductivity and concentration of main solutes in lakes of Río Horcones valley

Cond25 HCO3- SO4- Cl- Ca++ Mg++ Na+ K+ Fe3+ Si Anions Cations Total
Lake pH
µS/cm µeq/L µeq/L µeq/L µeq/L µeq/L µeq/L µeq/L µeq/L mg/L µeq/L µeq/L µeq/L
Lake Horcones 2 987 m a.s.l. 8.56 631 1128 4778 613 1677 3321 683 43 1 9.8 6 519 5 725 12 244
Lake No. 3 4 363 m a.s.l. 8.38 142 846 834 118 434 764 413 13 1 2.8 1 798 1 625 3 423

According to Alekin’s classification, waters
of Horcones Lake are sulphate-magnesium waters
(rSO4->rHCO3->rCl-; rMg++>rCa++>rNa+>rK+) type
II (rHCO3-<rMg+++rCa++<rHCO3-+rSO4-), while
waters of lake No. 3 are bicarbonate-magnesium
waters (rHCO3->rSO4->rCl-;
rMg++>rCa++>rNa+>rK+) type II (rHCO3-<
rMg+++rCa++<rHCO3-+rSO4-).
Discussion
The absolute location of lakes is reflected in the size
of thermal gradient of the surface water layer of the
summer period, which for shallow-water lakes of the
Central Andes is 0.6–0.8°C/100 m and is higher from
the altitude thermal gradient observed in large lakes
and artificial reservoirs of this geographical zone
(33°20’–35°40’S), which is about 0.45°C/100 m (Fig.
2). At the same time there can be observed an
influence of the hydrological type of the lake and the
size of its area on the temperature value. The
presence of outflow results in a mean lowering of
temperature by 8–9°C, the increase in lake area
brings about its fall by almost 10°C. These
dependencies are true in the altitude range 3000–
4000 m (Fig. 2).
Similarly, changes in the absolute location are
reflected in the general content of substances
dissolved in water, corresponding with
conductivity (Fig. 3). This regularity concerns
only glacial lakes and it should be mainly related to
the intensification of weathering of clayey material
released from glaciers, and “thickening” of the
solution by an increase in evaporation for which the
lack of outflow is a favourable condition. The
highest conductivity (2.71 mS/cm) was obtained in
the closed lake No. 2 (Horcones Inferior valley) and
below the lake in the Río Horcones Inferior
watercourse alimented with water from a glacier of
the same name (2.31 mS/cm).

Fig. 3. Changes in water conductivity according to altitude in selected high mountain lake areas

Local features of this group of lakes are revealed
in the differences in ionic composition and general
content of dissolved substances. Specific
conductivity is by one or two orders of magnitude
higher than the one recorded in reservoirs of
similar size (except for Cameroon lakes which
are bigger) of other high-moutnain areas
(Peterson, 1976, Kling, 1988, Lydersen et al.,
1997, Tartari et al., 1998). Similarly in postglacial
lakes of New Guinea water conductivity is higher
 Lakes of Río Horcones valley, Southern Andes, Argentina 15

and close to this one observed in waters of lake
No. 3 (142 µS/cm) (Fig. 3). The characteristic
feature of the lakes of Horcones valley is also an
atypical, for fresh waters, ionic structure in the
group of cations (Fig. 4). Index rCa++/rMg++ is
0.5–0.6 and is similar to the ratio of these ions in
sea water, where it is reduced to 0.2. Such a state
should be ascribed to the precipitation of calcite in
conditions of water environment lacking free CO2
and high pH, when magnesium still remains in
solution. Such an ionic exchange is frequent in areas
where there are layers of gypsum and dolomites.
Evidence of this process could be observed on the
shores of lakes without outflow, whose recent
shoreline was marked with calcite traces. The
increase in the concentration of magnesium ions can
also be caused by leaching from gypsum-bearing
deposits, containing magnesium, of epsomite or
kiserite (Macioszczyk, 1987). The high participation
in the ionic structure of the ions Na+ and Cl–, as well
as, and probably in the first place, sulphates should
be ascribed, in turn, to the geochemical specificity
of the geological units of the surroundings of
Horcones valley, mainly the occurrence of
evaporites of Auquilco formation in Cerro Agua
Salada, Cerro Almacenes, Cerro Tolosa massifs
(Ramos et al., 1996). The influence of the edaphic
factor is reflected in the diversity of rNa+/rCl–
index among lakes, which in the upper course
reaches a value of 3.5 and in lower only 1.1. The
balance between both ions in L. Horcones is
probably maintained by their inflow with waters
flowing from below Cerro Agua Salada (Salt Water)
massif. Although the precipitation of this region is
determined by the inflow of air masses from the
Pacific, the influence of atmospheric deposition,
despite the small size of the catchment, is
unnoticeable and supressed by the litholgical
factor. Even in mountaneous areas with
observable influence of marine aerosols on the
chemistry of lake waters, and with sodium and
chloride ions content in precipotation waters at a
level of 50%, their sum concentration does not
exceed 130 µeq/l (maximum 188 µeq/l) (Lydersen et
al., 1997), which is much less than the values
recorded in lake No. 3.

Fig. 4. Ionic composition of the investigated lakes water against the background of water ionic composition of other high mountain
areas. Diamonds mark Andean lakes: LH – Horcones Lake, circles denotes Tatra lakes (Lydersen et al., 1997) and squers Hima-
layan lakes (Tartari et al., 1998)
16 Dariusz Borowiak
The group of the lakes under study reveals
a clearly manifested influence of both altitude and
edaphic factors. The first clearly shapes the
unhomogeneity of characteristics within the group of
objects under study, the latter reflects its
distinctiveness and regional individuality.
References
Espiuza L. E., 1999, Chronology of Late Pleistocene
glacier advances in the Río Mendoza Valley,
Argentina, Global and Planetary Change 22, 193–
200.
Forbes S. A., 1887, The lake as a microcosm, Bull. Peoria
Scient. Ass. (1887), 78–87.
Kling G. W., 1988, Comparative transparency, depth of
mixing, and stability of stratification in lakes of
Cameroon, West Africa, Limnol. Oceanogr. 33 (1),
27–40.
Lydersen E., Rzychoń D., Worsztynowicz A., Tørseth K.,
Hansen J. E., Mill W. A., Kot M., Henriksen A.,
Wathne B. M., 1997, Critical loads of acidity to lakes
in the Polish tatra Mountains – Final Report, Acid
Rain Research. NIVA Report 44.
Löffler H., 1959, Limnologishe Untersuchungen an chileni-
schen und peruanischen Binnengewassern, Ark.
Geofisik 3, 155–254.
Streszczenie
Celem opracowania była ocena wpływu wysokości bez-
względnej i ustroju hydrologicznego jezior oraz lokal-
nych warunków zlewniowych na własności fizykoche-
miczne płytkowodnych jezior andyjskich. Dokonano takŜe
analizy porównawczej z innymi jeziorami wybranych
regionów wysokogórskich. Badane jeziora usytuowane
są w dolinie Río Horcones okalającej od południa i za-
chodu masyw Aconcaguy (6962 m n.p.m.), Cordillera
Principal, i połoŜone są na wysokości pomiędzy 2980
a 4380 m n.p.m. (ryc. 1).
Pomiary wykonano jednorazowo pomiędzy 30 stycz-
nia a 8 lutego 2004 r. Pod względem termicznym jezio-
ra ujawniają silne zróŜnicowanie. Temperatura wody
wahała się w zakresie od 2,1°C (Laguna No. 3) do 13,9°C
(Laguna Horcones). PołoŜenie bezwzględne jezior prze-
kłada się na wielkość wysokościowego gradientu termicz-
nego powierzchniowej warstwy wody, który dla płyt-
kowodnych jezior Centralnych Andów wynosi 0,6–
0,8°C/100 m i jest wyŜszy od gradientu termicznego ob-
Macioszczyk A., 1987, Hydrogeochemia, Wyd. Geolo-
giczne, Warszawa.
Marchetto A., 1998, The study of high mountain lakes in
the activity of the Istituto Italiano di Idrobiologia), In:
Lami A., Giussani G., (edit.), Limnology of high
altitude lakes in the Mt Everest Region (Nepal),
Mem. Ist. Ital. Idrobiol. 57, 1–10.
Tartari G. A., Tartari G., Mosello R., 1998, Water
chemistry of high altitude lakes in Khumbu and Imja
Kola valleys (nepalese Himalayas), In: Lami A.,
Giussani G., (edit.), Limnology of high altitude lakes
in the mt Everest Region (Nepal), Mem. Ist. Ital.
Idrobiol. 57, 51–76.
Peralta P., Claps M., 2002, Plankton of a high mountain
shallow lake (Los Horcones, High Los Andes
Coldillera, Mendoza, Argentina, Verh. Internat. Verein.
Limnol. 28 (2), 1036–1040.
Peterson J. A., 1976, The lakes. In: Hope G. S., (edit.),
The Equatorial Glaciers of New Guinea (Results of
the 1971–1973 Australian Universities' Expeditions
to Irian Jaya: survey, glaciology, meteorology, biology
and palaeoenvironments), Rotterdam: A. A. Balkema,
93–112.
Quiros R., 1988, Relationships between temperature, depth,
nutrients and chlorophyll in 103 Argentinian lakes,
Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 23 (2), 647–658.
Ramos V. A., Cegarr M., Cristallini E., 1996, Cenozoic
tectonics of the High Andes of west-central
Argentina (30–60°S latitude), Tectonophysics 259,
185–200.
serwowanego w duŜych jeziorach i sztucznych zbiorni-
kach tej strefy geograficznej (33°20’–35°40’S) a wy-
noszącego 0,45°C/100 m. Jednocześnie dostrzec moŜ-
na wpływ typu hydrologicznego jezior oraz wielkości
ich powierzchni na wartość temperatury. Istnienie odpły-
wowości skutkuje średnim spadkiem temperatury o ok.
8–9°C, wzrost wielkości powierzchni powoduje jej dalszy
spadek o blisko 10°C. ZaleŜności te są czytelne w prze-
dziale wysokościowym 3000-4000 m n.p.m. (ryc. 2).
Podobnie, zmiany połoŜenia bezwzględnego
przekładają się na ogólną zawartość substancji roz-
puszczonych, wyraŜonej przewodnością właściwa (ryc.
3). Szczegółowe charakterystyki chemiczne jezior poło-
Ŝonych w skrajnych piętrach wysokościowych pokaza-
no w tabeli 1. Cechy lokalne tej grupy jezior uwidaczniają
się w odmienności składu jonowego oraz ogólnej zawarto-
ści substancji rozpuszczonych. Przewodność jest o rząd,
dwa rzędy wielkości większa od notowanej w zbliŜo-
nych wielkościowo (poza jeziorami kameruńskimi, które
są większe) zbiornikach innych obszarów wysokogór-
skich. Podobnie w jeziorach polodowcowych Nowej
 Lakes of Río Horcones valley, Southern Andes, Argentina 17

Gwinei przewodność wody jest wysoka i zbliŜone do
tej obserwowanej w jeziorze No. 3 (142 µS/cm), ryc. 3.
Cechą znamienną jezior doliny Horcones jest teŜ niety-
powa dla wód słodkich struktura jonowa w grupie katio-
nów (ryc. 4). Indeks rCa++/rMg++ wynosi 0.5-0.6 i upo-
dabnia się do stosunku tych jonów w wodzie morskiej,
gdzie ulega redukcji do 0.2. Wpływ czynnika edaficz-
nego odzwierciedla teŜ zróŜnicowanie indeksu rNa++/rCl–
między jeziorami, który w górnym biegu doliny sięga
wartości 3.5 w dolnym zaś jedynie 1.1.
Grupa badanych jezior wykazuje wyraźnie ujaw-
niający się wpływ tak czynnika wysokościowego jak rów-
nieŜ edaficznego. Pierwszy z nich kształtuje niejedno-
rodność charakterystyk w obrębie badanej grupy obiek-
tów, drugi odzwierciedla jej odrębność oraz indywidu-
alność regionalną.