Abstract
Seasonal characteristics of water quality and effect of the freshwater discharge during open the tide embankment in Haechang Bay were evaluated. In the freshwater, where interior of the tide embankment, COD and Chl-a exceeded about 4mg/L and $10mg/m^3$, respectively, independent of season, while in the seawater they showed high values in April and July in contrast to the other period due to input of freshwater and increase of phytoplankton, respectively. The content of seawater inorganic nitrogen maintained a relatively high level at inner part of the bay, whereas high values of inorganic phosphorus content was distributed at all over the bay. The limiting factor for algal growth was nitrogen with respect to the N/P ratio. The compass of influence by the freshwater discharge in April was quite different with water pollutants. As a result of the salinity variation with time, the freshwater extended strongly to offshore from the surface layer without mixing with depth when open the tide embankment, and reached within about one hour at a station which is 3.5km from the tide embankment. To effective water quality management of Haechang Bay, discharge rate and pollutant loads should be controlled.