Title: Seasonal water quality vs. flow relationships in a small regulated stream

Authors: Erdem Albek, Mine Albek, Serdar Goncu, Sevgi Gence

Addresses: Environmental Engineering Department, Anadolu University, Iki Eylul Campus, Eskisehir 26470, Turkey. ' Environmental Engineering Department, Anadolu University, Iki Eylul Campus, Eskisehir 26470, Turkey. ' Environmental Engineering Department, Anadolu University, Iki Eylul Campus, Eskisehir 26470, Turkey. ' Environmental Engineering Department, Anadolu University, Iki Eylul Campus, Eskisehir 26470, Turkey

Abstract: The relationship of a water quality constituent with respect to flow measured at a stream monitoring station can give valuable information about the watershed and in-stream processes about the constituent in question. Seasonal dependency patterns often reveal relationships which would be unnoticed if all data are treated together. The aim of this study is to examine water quality constituent concentration vs. flow in a regulated small stream in order to detect seasonal relationships and to interpret them with regard to watershed processes. Expected relationship patterns have been observed for some water quality constituent like conductivity, suspended solids, etc. Some unexpected relationships have been detected which arise from the particular hydrologic regime of the stream and the surrounding watershed. The information gained can be used in watershed management studies to control contaminants reaching waterways.

Keywords: water quality; streamflow; watershed management; regulated streams; Kendall Tau; nonparametric correlation; water flow; stream monitoring; water pollution; pollution control; contamination; stream discharge; hydrological cycle; concentrations; Turkey.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2006.009330

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2006 Vol.26 No.4, pp.408 - 426

Published online: 20 Mar 2006 *

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