• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.89-96
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• 2011

This study was carried out to assess the variations of water quality caused by the dam construction on the river. Six dams-Yongdam, Miryang, Hoengseong, Boryeong, Jangheung and Buan- constructed recently in Korea were selected for the study. Chemical oxygen demand(COD) was increased in the initial stage of water storage at dams compared to the lotic(river) environment, but after 3 years it was maintained lower and stabilized concentrations. Five dams except for Jangheung Dam were maintained Ia~Ib grade conditions under the water quality criteria of Korea. The concentrations of total nitrogen(T-N) were decreased under the lentic(reservoir) environment compared to the river status. Total phosphorus(T-P) was decreased 13~63% at the reservoir condition. We concluded that increase of COD concentration was due to the debris organic materials of the land, but temporary phenomenon. T-N and T-P concentrations were decreased at the lentic condition compared to the lotic.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.759-770
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• 1998

biotic indices scoring with the benthic macroinvertebrates were assessed as pollution monitoring tools in the north branch of the Han River system, Korea. We investigated the temporal variability of water quality at unpolluted, moderately polluted and heavily polluted sites using several biotic indices and assessed appropriate biological monitoring indices for lotic systems in Korea. The following biotic and chemical indices were employed in order to compare their applicability to the lotic systems : Trent Biotic Index (TBI), Chandler's Biotic Index-Average Score per Taxon (CBI-ASPT), Modified Biological Monitoring Working Party Score System-Average Score per Taxon (BMWP-ASPT), Hilsenhoff's biotic Index (BI) and Family-level Biotic Index (FBI) models for biotic analyses and National Sanitation foundation's Water Quality Index (NSFWQI) and comprehensive Chemical Pollution Index (Pb/n) for chemical analyses of water quality. Index and score values were compared with each other and with 24 water chemistry parameters. All biotic indices were significantly auto-correlated (p<0.001) and BI and FBI/ROK among them were highly correlated (r=0.84). BI and BMWP-ASPT models were also highly correlated with NSFWQI, while TBI values showed high correlation with the Pb/n. The BI and BMWP-ASPT were highly correlated with the most water chemistry parameters. We conclude that the BI model, which includes indicator species and abundance of taxa, is best suited for the bioassessment of lotic systems in Korea. For rapid field-based assessments, FBI/ROK and BMWP-ASPT models are also appropriate.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.731-741
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• 2015

The objectives of study were to evaluate fish species compositions of trophic guilds and tolerance guilds and apply ecological fish assessment (EFA) models to Bekjae Weir, Keum-River Watershed. The EFA models were Stream Index of Biological Integrity (SIBI) used frequently for running water and Lentic Ecosystem Health Assessment (LEHA) used for assessments of stagnant water. The region of Bekjae Weir as a "four major river project" was originally a lotic ecosystem before the weir construction (2010, $B_{WC}$) but became more like lentic-lotic hybrid system after the construction (2011, $A_{WC}$). In the analysis of species composition and ecological bioindicator (fish), fish species with a preference of running water showed significant decreases (p < 0.05), whereas the species with a preference of stagnant water showed significant increases (p < 0.05). After the weir construction, relative abundances of tolerant species increased, and the proportion of insectivores decreased. This phenomenon indicated the changes of biotic compositions in the system by the weir construction. Applications of SIBI and LEHA models to the system showed that the two model values decreased at the same time after the weir construction ($A_{WC}$), and the region became more like lentic-lotic hybrid system, indicating the degradation of ecosystem health. The model values of SIBI were 19 and 16, respectively, in the BWC and AWC, and the health conditions were both "C-rank". In the mean time, the LEHA model analysis showed that the values was 28 in the BWC and 24 in the AWC, thus the health was turned to be "B-Rank" in the BWC and "C-Rank" in the AWC. indicating a degradation of ecological heath after the weir construction.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.330-337
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• 2015

Pre-monsoon dynamics of zooplankton community were investigated in Yongwol West River tributary; wetland shaped Korean Peninsula. Zooplankters were collected at three sites (stn 1: Yongwol West River, stn 2: Pyungchang River, stn 3: Jucheon River) monthly during the period between March and July 2014 except April. Totally 58 taxa of zooplankton occurred, consisting of 27 species of rotifer, 18 species of cladoceran, eight species of copepod, four kinds of aquatic insect larvae and one nematod. Lotic cladocerans of Alona spp. belonging to Chydoridae occurred frequently while typical lentic ones of Bosmina spp. and Daphnia spp. were not distributed, then sampling sites may be located in lotic waters. Zooplankton abundance recorded as $4,451-8,011indiv{\cdot}m^{-3}$ in Jucheon River but never exceeded $500indiv{\cdot}m^{-3}$ in other rivers. In Yongwol West River, dominant taxa were aquatic insect larvae from March through June and succeeded to cladocerans and copepods in July. Similar succession was observed in Jucheon River where aquatic insect larvae dominated in March and changed to cladocerans and copepods from May with high abundance. No such succession of zooplankton community was detected in Pyunchang River. Species diversity indices were the highest in Yongwol West River except in March. High values of dissolved oxygen ($9.0-11.0 mg{\cdot}liter^{-1}$) may show the characteristics of mountain streams. Water temperature increased gradually from $10.1^{\circ}C$ to $27.9^{\circ}C$ and pH varied within generally high range between 7.9-8.9, respectively. High value of pH seems to be derived from lime stone mines and cement factories around the studied area.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.375-381
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• 2015

We investigated the influence of summer rainfall on Pectinatella magnifica colonies in lotic ecosystems. Of the examined substrate materials, branches and aquatic macrophytes supported more colonies of P. magnifica than that by stones or artificial materials. The influence of rainfall on P. magnifica colonies differed in accordance with the type of substrate material at each study site. In the Geum River, little difference was noted in the number of P. magnifica colonies on branches before ($mean{\pm}SE$, $24{\pm}7.3$ individuals) and after rainfall ($20{\pm}8.4$ ind.); other substrate types supported fewer colonies of P. magnifica after rainfall. In contrast, in the Miryang River, rainfall had minimal effect on the number of P. magnifica colonies supported by macrophytes ($13{\pm}3.8$ and $12{\pm}4.3$ ind., respectively). Artificial material was more abundant in the Banbyeon Stream where it was able to support more colonies of P. magnifica. We found that the structure of different substrates sustains P. magnifica following rainfall. In the Miryang River, free-floating and submerged plants with a relatively heterogeneous substrate surface were the dominant macrophytes, whereas in the Geum River, simple macrophytes (i.e., emergent plants) were dominant. Therefore, we conclude that the substrate type on which P. magnifica grows plays an important role in resisting physical disturbances such as rainfall.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.331-344
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• 2018

Lotic organisms in streams are affected by natural and anthropogenic disturbances such as increase of heavy rainfall event caused by climate change and flow regime change caused by weir constructions. Based on domestic and foreign literature, 157 Korean benthic macroinvertebrate taxa were selected species as potential lotic candidates. Three shoreline sites (total 54 samples) were surveyed consecutively before ('08~'09), during ('10~'12) and after ('13~'16) the construction of the weirs (Gangcheon, Yeoju and Ipo weir) in the Namhan-River for tracing changes of lotic communities. As a result, water flow of the Ipo-wier and water quality variables such as T-N, T-P, BOD5, etc. of the weir section revealed no significant changes. Physical habitat conditions such as the flow velocity and streambed substrate evidently changed. Particulary, flow velocity measured at sampling points along with each microhabitat drastically decreased and particle size of streambed substrate steadily decreased after weir constructions. Lotic organisms also decreased after construction, especially Hydropsychidae (insecta: Trichoptera) acutely decreased from $3,526ind.\;m^{-2}$ to $2ind.\;m^{-2}$ As a result of CCA, lotic species such as Hydropsyche valvata, Hydropsyche kozhantschikovi, Cheumatopsyche brevilineata, Cheumatopsyche KUa, Macrostemum radiatum, etc. correlated with the flow velocity, streambed substrate. Therefore, the decrease of the flow velocity and substrate size after weir construction seemed to be closely related to the decrease of the individual abundances of the lotic organisms independently of water quality. In order to evaluate the influence of the ecosystem on the flow regime change more accurately, it is necessary to study the indicator species based on the resistance or preference of the flow.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.431-444
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• 2020

The relationship between dam construction and water quality has recently come to be considered an important issue. A dam is a physical factor which causes changes to the river system around it. Considering these points, this study was conducted to obtain basic data by analyzing the relationship between water level fluctuations and water quality parameters in the short-term. In terms of methodology, the new construction of the Yeongju Dam (M5) in 2016 was divided into Stage 1 as the lotic system and Stage 2 as the lentic system, with four years in each period, and the water level fluctuations and water quality were analyzed using official data. As a result of this study, M5, a stagnant area in which organic matter and nutrients accumulate, was found to be an important factor in water quality management. In addition, the water level changed rapidly (0.9±0.2 m → 10.9±7.1 m) as the river environment condition was converted from the lotic system to the lentic system. In addition, water quality parameters such as BOD, COD, TOC, and Chl-a significantly changed in the short-term. Further, since the transport of organic matter and nutrients occurred well in the lotic system, sedimentation was expected to be dominant in the lentic system. Therefore, it was determined that when the river flow is blocked, autochthonous organic matter is an important factor for long-term water quality management in the future. This process can increase the trophic state of the water body. As a result of this study, the TSI_KO value was converted from mesotrophic in Stage 1 to eutrophic in Stage 2. Eventually, short-term changes in the river environment will affect not only changes in water level but also changes in water quality. Thus, a comprehensive and strategic approach is needed for long-term water quality management in the future.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.221-227
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• 2009

This study describes time lag responses between hydrological variables and phytoplankton biomass in a regulated river system, the lower Nakdong River in South Korea. The lower Nakdong is a typical flow-controlled lotic system, and its limnological characteristics are influenced by climatic variation such as monsoons and summer typhoons. Mean rainfall in the area during summer is about 1,200 mm, which comprises >60% of annual rainfall. Our results show that the regulation of flow in the Nakdong by multi-purpose dams from 1995 to 2004 affected phytoplankton dynamics. Diatom blooms occurred in winter, when the limited discharge allowed for proliferation of the phytoplankton community. Using multiple regression analysis, we detected significant time-delayed relationships between hydrological variables and phytoplankton biomass. These results may be useful for water resource managers, and suggest that 'smart flow' control would improve water quality in large regulated river systems of the Republic of Korea.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.373-380
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• 2017

This study identified the effect of changes in the riverbed on the benthic macroinvertebrate communities. The benthic macroinvertebrates collected from the surveyed sites belonged to 119 species, 65 families, 20 orders, and 7 classes in 4 phyla. The number of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (E.P.T) species was 42, 10, and 8, respectively, in the tributary, confluence, and Nakdong River sites. Lotic species (Hydropsychidae) showed a high density at the tributary sites, whereas lentic species (Chironomidae) showed a high density at the confluence and Nakdong River sites. Community analysis showed that the Dominance Index (DI) was 0.54 in tributary sites, and dominance indices increased closer to the Nakdong River sites. The diversity index (H') was inversely proportional to DI. The ratio of Burrowers species (BU) at the surveyed sites increased closer to the Nakdong River sites. Analysis of common species showed 37 species (34.6%) between the tributary and confluence sites and 66 species (51.5%) between the confluence and Nakdong River sites.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.325-335
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• 2015

Concerns about water quality in the Nakdong River have been raised because the Nakdong River will change from a lotic environment to a lentic environmental due to the installation of eight weirs to be constructed as part of the Four Major Rivers Restoration Project. The rapid urbanization and industrialization of the middle and the lower reaches of Nakdong River causes the indiscreet discharge of uncleanly living sewage and industrial wastewater. And the water quality of lower reaches of Nakdong River is getting seriously worse. Owing to the water shortage of Nakdong River and the closing of reaches because of the estuary dyke in the dry season, the velocity of a moving fluid is almost accumulated under 0.03m/sec. Then a pollutant is piled up on the bottom of the river. Polluted sediment is formed and nutrition level of water is increased more and more. The eutrophication state propagated to dark brown or green from eutrophication often comes out. Therefore in this study, we measured Chl. a of chlorophyll sensor (YSI6600V2) and aceton extraction through field observation in the Nakdong River and Samrangjin. And we evaluated the reliability of chlorophyll sensor. In correlation analysis between chlorophyll sensor and aceton extraction, it shows high relation in general. And it also shows high relation among the chlorophyll sensor and aceton extraction of the dominant diatom (Skeletonema costatum), Dinophyta (Prorocentrum minimum) in the Nakdong River estuary by laboratory analysis results.