Analysis of Water Quality Characteristics in Unit Watersheds in the Hangang Basin with Respect to TMDL Implementation

Minji Park, Yongchul Cho, Kyungyong Shin, Hyungjin Shin, Sanghun Kim and Soonju Yu
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Minji Park: Water Pollution Load Management Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research, 42 Hwangyong-ro, Seogu, Incheon 22689, Korea
Yongchul Cho: Han River Environment Research Center, National Institute of Environmental Research, 42 Dumulmeorigil 68beongil, Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do 12585, Korea
Kyungyong Shin: Han River Environment Research Center, National Institute of Environmental Research, 42 Dumulmeorigil 68beongil, Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do 12585, Korea
Hyungjin Shin: Rural Research Institute, Korea Rural Community Corporation, 870 Haen-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan-si 15634, Korea
Sanghun Kim: Han River Environment Research Center, National Institute of Environmental Research, 42 Dumulmeorigil 68beongil, Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do 12585, Korea
Soonju Yu: Han River Environment Research Center, National Institute of Environmental Research, 42 Dumulmeorigil 68beongil, Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do 12585, Korea

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 18, 1-14

Abstract: Spatiotemporal water quality tendencies before and after total maximum daily load (TMDL) implementation in the Hangang basin were analyzed to determine the water quality improvement resulting from the TMDL policy. The periodicities of water quality indicators were also analyzed and water quality characteristics corresponding to different unit watershed units were identified in terms of pollution source. Considering five water quality indicators, including biochemical oxygen demand and total phosphorus, it was observed that water quality indicator concentrations were low in the upstream areas of the Bukhangang and Namhangang watersheds. However, they were high between the downstream areas of the Namhangang watershed and the Imjingang watershed and in the Hangang downstream and Jinwicheon watersheds. Additionally, the concentrations of water quality indicators in most of the unit watersheds where TMDL had been implemented decreased after TMDL implementation. However, increasing tendencies in the concentrations of water quality indicators continued to be observed in some of the watershed units in the upstream areas of the Bukhangang and Namhangang watersheds, possibly because these watersheds are affected by nonpoint source pollution owing to rainfall. Therefore, in the future, it would be necessary to implement policies that take these findings into consideration.

Keywords: spatiotemporal analysis; water quality indicators; Mann–Kendall test; autocorrelation function; nonpoint source pollution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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