<p>Pollution indices measure the accumulation of certain elements in the environment, permitting the inference of their source. Lakes are repositories of all activities, natural or artificial, occurring in the watershed; their sediments in these environments record most of the changes that occur in that particular area. The objective was to assess the spatial distribution and magnitude of metals in the surface sediment using ecological risk assessment and to analyze environmental management strategies. Sediments from eleven (11) sites in Puno Bay (Lake Titicaca, Peru) were analyzed through contamination factor, pollution load, and potential ecological risk indices. The results were spatially distributed, using the Inverse Distance Weighting interpolation method, to identify areas of interest. All metals were below the Threshold Effect Level (TEL), with arsenic (As) being the only element above the Probable Effect Level (PEL). The contamination factor and potential ecological risk indicate that the Inner Puno Bay (IPB) has worse water quality than the Outer Puno Bay (OPB). The presence of molybdenum (Mo) in the IPB raises a new topic for review and monitoring by competent authorities, driven by human activities and eutrophication. Pearson correlation analysis shows a correlation among metals in the OPB, while IPB shows a correlation between metals and As. The three approaches identified spatial variations in the distribution of both bay areas. High metal levels were associated with natural sources and sewage discharge. Monitoring metals accumulating in sediment and implementing an updated management plan with regular pollutant monitoring are crucial measures in the area.</p>