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Print ISSN: 2322-2069
Online ISSN: 2322-2794
Journal of Water and Soil Conservation
Monitoring the Spatial and Temporal Variations in Water Quality of the
Haraz River: A Comparative Study of IR-WQIsc and NSF-WQI Index
Raha Robati1, Fatemeh Esmaeili2, Reza Khalili3, Ali Moridi*4
1. M.Sc. Student, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Civil, Water and Environment, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran .
E-mail: r.robati@mail.sbu.ac.ir
2. M.Sc. Student, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Civil, Water and Environment, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran .
E-mail: fateme.esmaeili@mail.sbu.ac.ir
3. Ph.D. Student, Dept. of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil, Water and Environment, Shahid Beheshti University,
Tehran, Iran. E-mail: re_khalili@sbu.ac.ir
4. Corresponding Author, Assistant Prof., Dept. of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil, Water and Environment,
Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. E-mail: a_moridi@sbu.ac.ir
Article Info
ABSTRACT
Article type:
Short Technical Report
Article history:
Received: 04.02.2023
Revised: 08.04.2023
Accepted: 08.21.2023
Keywords:
Haraz River,
IR-WQIsc,
NSF-WQI,
Water pollution,
Water quality evaluation
Background and Objectives: Situated in northern Iran, the Haraz River
stands out as a significant ecosystem, hosting diverse aquatic life and
serving as a vital water source for dynamic commercial and industrial
activities in its vicinity. This study employed both the Iran Surface Water
Quality Indicators (IR-WQIsc) and the National Health Foundation Quality
Index (NSF-WQI) to evaluate the water quality of the Haraz River.
Materials and Methods: Monthly water samples were collected from the
central segment of the Haraz River, at a depth of 30 cm, throughout the
year (1399-1400). An array of parameters including water temperature,
pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), electrolyte conductivity (EC), total dissolved
solids (TDS), turbidity, ammonium nitrogen (N-NH+4), nitrate nitrogen
(N-NO3), phosphate (PO4), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), and total
suspended solids (TSS) were meticulously measured and subjected to
analysis.
Results: According to the IR-WQIsc index, the Haraz River's water quality
shifts from relatively good in the upstream direction to relatively poor as it
progresses downstream during the spring, autumn, and winter seasons.
Notably, spring marks the peak of upstream water quality, while winter
exhibits the highest downstream quality. However, during summer, the
river's water quality is comparably lower than in other seasons. On
average, as per the IR-WQIsc index, water quality is categorized as
"relatively good" during spring, autumn, and winter, while it declines to a
"moderate" level in summer. Conversely, analysis using the NSF-WQI
index reveals that river water quality is at its best during spring and least
favorable in summer. In autumn and winter, water quality demonstrates
consistent patterns and maintains an average level. An in-depth inter-
seasonal assessment consistently identifies the summer season as having
the lowest water quality across all three monitoring stations.
Conclusion: The assessment of water quality across seasons through distinct
indicators yields insightful findings. The summer season experiences reduced
water quality due to tourist activity in northern regions and environmental
factors such as heightened temperatures. Furthermore, a discernible trend
emerges wherein water quality demonstrates improvement from downstream
to upstream, likely influenced by population density fluctuations along the
river's trajectory. Conclusively, a comparative analysis of the two methods
indicates a degree of concurrence in water quality assessment outcomes.
However, the IR-WQIsc index emerges as a more precise classifier,
underscoring its efficacy in such evaluations.
Cite this article: Robati, Raha, Esmaeili, Fatemeh, Khalili, Reza, Moridi, Ali. 2023. Monitoring the
Spatial and Temporal Variations in Water Quality of the Haraz River: A Comparative Study of
IR-WQIsc and NSF-WQI Index. Journal of Water and Soil Conservation, 30 (3), 147-157.
© The Author(s). DOI: 10.22069/jwsc.2023.21228.3639
Publisher: Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
IR-WQIscNSF-WQI
r.robati@mail.sbu.ac.ir
fateme.esmaeili@mail.sbu.ac.ir
re_khalili@sbu.ac.ir
a_moridi@sbu.ac.ir
IR-WQIsc
NSF-WQI
IR-WQIsc NSF-WQI
pHDO ECTDS
N-NH+4
N-NO3
PO4
BOD5
TSS
IR-WQIsc
IR-WQIsc
NSF-WQI
IR-WQIsc
IR-WQIscNSF-WQI
DOI: 10.22069/jwsc.2023.21228.3639
©
WQIs
IR-WQIscNSF-WQI
IR-WQIsc
NSF-WQI
.
Figure 1. Sampling stations in Haraz river.
NSF-WQI
IR-WQIsc
IR-WQIsc
Wi
ɣ
ɣ
Wi
in
ɣ
Ii
IR-WQIsc
IR-WQIsc
Table 1. Surface water classification IR-WQIsc.
Index value
Classification
>15
Very bad
15-29.9
Bad
29.9-44.9
Relatively bad
45-55
Moderate
55.1-70
Relatively good
70.1-85
Good
85 <
Very good
NSF-WQI
Wi
Q
n
WQI-NSF
Table 2. Surface water classification NSF-WQI.
Index value
Classification
25 >
Very bad
50-26
Bad
51-70
Moderate
71-90
Good
91-100
Very good
NSF-WQIIR-WQIsc
IR-WQIsc
.
IR-WQIsc
NSF-WQI
(A)
(B)
NSF-WQI
Figure 2. Quality conditions of Haraz river according to NSF-WQI index in (a) spring, (b) summer, autumn, winter.
(A)
(B)
(C)
IR-WQIsc
Figure 3. Quality conditions of Haraz river according to IR-WQIsc index in (a) spring, (b) summer,
(c) autumn, winter.
IR-WQIsc NSF-WQI
pH
IR-WQIscNSF-WQI
IR-WQIsc" "
""
NSF-WQI
""
""
IR-WQIsc
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