Characterization of the water quality of the Jalaur river basin

Date

1984

Abstract

A section of the Jalaur River and its tributaries in the province of Iloilo were investigated in an effort to determine by physico-chemical means, the water quality at various points and to determine the effects of suspected pollutants source on this system. Comparison of the detailed chemical analysis at the upstream and downstream stations demonstrated Asisig Creek and Jagdong River contributed to the degradation of the water quality of the river. Industrial development along these tributaries, particularly the sugar industries, are regarded as the primary sources of pollution, specifically DO depletion, nitrate and phosphate enrichment, high BOD and turbidity concentrations. The stream tend to exhibit annual chemical cycles for sulfates at Site Number 3 (r=0.63). Pronounced seasonal relationship exists for turbidity at Station Numbers 2,6,8 and 9 with maximum values of 2629, 1680, 1085 and 620 mg/1 SiO2 during dry season except for Station 2 which occurred during wet season. Temporal changes in total alkalinity and total suspended matter at Stations 2 and 7 respectively were highly significant (α=0.05). The chloride ion at site Number 1 and 6 showed significant relationship with time at α=0.05.The higher value of the former (4050 mg/1) was due to seawater instrussion. Most parameters except for sulfates at Stations 1,3,4 and 7; turbidity at Stations 2 and NO2 at Stations 7 were not significantly affected by discharge. Streeter and Phelps dissolved oxygen prediction model was fitted and a correlation value of 0.288 was obtained. The maximum DO value predicted by the model was 7.69 at Stations 7 and a minimum DO value of 6.94 at Station 6. The model failed to predict DO values at all Stations, due to its BOD and DO concentrations at the upstream boundary of the basin. These were caused by flow rate BOD and DO concentrations of tributaries and waste sources to the river from point, non-point and natural sources as well as numerous instream physical and biochemical processes. Although comprehensive information is available on the water quality of Jalaur River as well as the sources of pollution affecting then, it is very difficult to draw conclusions as to the future changes in the water quality. This is due to the incomplete knowledge of chemical, biological, hydrological and hydraulic fundamentals and partly due to the difficulty on separating natural variations in water quality, influence inter alia by fluctuating water flow, climate and from changes of water quality which are caused by man.

Document Type

Master Thesis

Language

English

LC Subject

Water quality

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

Call Number

Main Library LG 995 1984 A2 G66

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS