Depositional Environment and Distribution of Heavy Metal off the Shihwa Dam

Depositional environment off the Shihwa Dam has been studied to investigate the change of sedimentation process and the pollution. In order to understand how the sediments are distributed, polluted and modified, depositional factors have been analyzed and compared with the previous data. Study area, located off the Shihwa Dam, was surveyed to collect 25 bottom samples and 2 cores in 1996 and echo-sounding in 1997. These sediments were analyzed for the study of the global characteristics of sediment such as grain size and organic matter. Among these samples, the selected twenty surface sediments were analyzed for the comparison with their contents of metallic elements (Al, Mn, Fe, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, As). According to field and lab analysis of sediments, three sedimentological zones have been generally identified around study area; near the dam (sandy Silt), near the dike (Sand) and offshore (silty Sand) zones. Textural parameters show that the content of silt and clay is dominant near the dam excepting the dike zone of LNG Storage Base and offshore (Palmido). The total concentration of Mn, Ni, Fe, Zn and Cd in bulk sediments was increased after the construction of the dam, while the content of Mn and Cr were higher near tidal channel than in the offshore area. Meanwhile, the annual increasing pattern of some heavy metal has appeared in this area. Based on this primary study, modification of the depositional environment may be caused by the construction of the dam and LNG Storage Base. Additionally, environmental evaluation on organic/inorganic factors has been suggested for interpreting environmental changes caused by coastal development in the nearshore such as the Shihwa coastal area.