• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.287-296
• /
• 2008

A comprehensive quality survey for heavy metals, organophosphorous and organochlorine residual pesticides, and coplanar PCBs in samples such as water, sediments and soils as well as spiders has been implemented. The samples were undertaken at nine stream sites and their vicinity in August 2006, representing different surrounding environments. The levels of PCBs were expressed as concentrations and WHO-TEFs. Among 12 coplanar PCBs as target compounds in this study, 2,3', 4,4', 5-PentaCB (IUPAC # 118) was the congener with the highest concentration. The total concentrations and TEF values of coplanar PCBs in Siheung stream sediment (heavy industrial complex site located in Ansan city) were 3915.50 pg/g and 0.8366 pg-TEQ/g on a dry weight basis, respectively. Such levels were around 40 times higher compared to sediment from Gapyung stream (green site located in the upper of Myunggi mountain). It is probably due to the direct input of PCBs trom PCBs treatment materials. Organophosphorous (EPN, dementon-s-methyl, diazinon, parathion, and phenthoate) and organochlorine (alpha-BHC, aldrin, 4,4'-DDT, 4,4'-DDE, endosulfan alpha and etc.) pesticides were not detected above 5 ppb of detection limits. The concentrations of Cu and Cd in water and sediment samples from Siheung stream were 44.11 and $0.17ug/m\ell$ and $713.42{\mu}g/g$ and $3.73{\mu}g/g$, respectively, which contained $20\sim40$ times higher concentrations than those from Gapyung stream. In addition to the water and sediment samples, the levels of heavy metals in spider from designated sampling sites were also determined. Heavy metals in spider collected near Siheung stream was appeared to be equivalent and/or a little higher levels with respect to other spiders. Furthermore, the ratio of relative heavy metals (Cu, Cd, and Pb) in spider from each stream site showed a correlation as similar as that of heavy metals in soil samples.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
• /
• v.11 no.4 s.29
• /
• pp.67-74
• /
• 2005

The Doam watershed is located at alpine areas and the annual average precipitation, including snow accumulation, is significant higher than other areas. Thus, pollutant laden runoff and sediment discharge from the alpine agricultural fields are causing water quality degradation at the Doam watershed. To estimate soil erosion from the agricultural fields, the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) has been widely used because of its simplicity to use. In the early spring at the Doam watershed, the stream flow increases because of snow melt, which results in erosion of loosened soil experiencing freezing and thaw during the winter. Also, extremely torrential rainfall, such as the typhoons 'RUSA' in 2002 and 'MAEMI' in 2003, caused significant amounts of soil erosion and sediment at the Doam watershed. However, the USLE model cannot simulate impacts on soil erosion of freezing and thaw of the soil. It cannot estimate sediment yield from a single torrential rainfall event. Also, it cannot simulate temporal changes in USLE input parameters. Thus, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was investigated for its applicability to estimate soil erosion at the Doam watershed, instead of the widely used USLE model. The SWAT hydrology and erosion/sediment components were validated after calibration of the hydrologic component. The R$^2$ and Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient values are higher enough, thus it is found the SWAT model can be efficiently used to simulate hydrology and sediment yield at the Doam watershed. The effects of snow melt on SWAT estimated stream flow and sediment were investigated using long-term precipitation and temperature data at the Doam watershed. It was found significant amount of flow and sediment in the spring are contributed by melting snow accumulated during the winter. Two typhoons in 2002 and 2003, MAEMI and RUSA, caused 33% and 22% of total sediment yields at the Doam watershed, respectively. Thus, it is recommended that the SWAT model, capable of simulating snow melt, sediment yield from a single storm event, and long-term weather data, needs to be used in estimating soil erosion at alpine agricultural areas to develop successful soil erosion management instead of the USLE.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.148-154
• /
• 1998

Gubong gold-mine, previously one of the largest gold mines in Korea, is located at the mid-west of the South Korea. In the areas nearby the mine, the shallow groundwater was the major source for domestic and farming water-supply. Soil contamination by Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn was previously known in this area. This study is objected to identify quality of the shallow groundwater, possibly affected by the mine tailings. Samples were collected from a nearby stream, shallow groundwater and seepage from the tailings. Chemical analysis for the water quality includes major cations such as Na, K, Ca, and Mg, anions as F, Cl, NO$_3$, SO$_4$, HCO$_3$, and trace elements as Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Se, As, Hg. Water types could be drawn into four groups from the plots of Piper, Stiff diagrams and cluster analysis. SAR-Conductivity plot indicates the water does not pose either alkalinity or salinity hazards for irrigation. Major contaminant in groundwater appeared to be arsenic, released from arsenopyrites in tailings by oxidation. Dredging of buried railing materials could stimulate the release of arsenic from the sediments to the groundwater.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.197-206
• /
• 2010

To provide baseline information essential for assessing environmental impacts of monsoon rainfalls in a mountainous watershed under mixed land use, we investigated spatiotemporal variations in water quality using a combined approach of seasonal water quality survey and intensive storm samplings. Biannual water sampling at nine locations encompassing major land use types showed generally lower electrical conductivity and Cl- concentrations during the typical wet period compared to the dry period, indicating rainfall-induced dilution of dissolved ions. Total metal concentrations, however, were significantly higher during the monsoon period, probably associated with rainfall-induced increases in suspended sediments. Intensive storm sampling during a small monsoon rainfall event (18 mm) and an extreme event (452 mm) showed rapid changes in both suspended sediments and dissolved solutes in an agricultural stream draining the Haean Basin where arable lands have expanded rapidly over the recent decades. By contrast, a nearby forest stream derived from North Korea showed little responses to the small event compared to larges changes during the extreme event. In the agricultural stream total Pb concentrations showed significant positive relationships with suspended sediments. Although limited sampling frequency and locations require a cautious interpretation, the overall results suggest that expansion of agricultural fields in steep mountainous watersheds can increase the susceptibility of soil erosion and its off-site environmental impacts under increasing rainfall variability and extremes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.101 no.4
• /
• pp.574-578
• /
• 2012

This study was carried out to clarify the influences of forest environmental factors on turbidity of Stream water on three stands (Castanea crenata, Pinus densiflora and Plantation Land) of small watershed in Samgyeri Naedong-myeon Jinju-si Gyeongsangnam-do. The relationship between turbidity and forest environmental factors was a positive correlation at 1% level with chromaticity, suspended solid, sediment runoff erosion, slope, rainfall intensity, preceding dry days, watershed area and stream length and at 5% level with accumulative rainfall. The important factors that affected turbidity in small watershed showed in order of preceding dry days, rainfall intensity, stream length, chromaticity and suspended solid. In the stepwise regression between turbidity and forest environmental factors, the estimation equation is as follow; Y=-28.125+0.047x (suspended solid)+0.058x (chromaticity)+1.518x (rainfall intensity)+0.264x (stream length)+1.837x (preceding dry days). The results indicates that dangerous areas of landslide and soil runoff by land use could be applied to the mitigation measures such as afforestation, erosion check dam and revetment for erosion control and water quality management in small watershed.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.39-48
• /
• 2012

Visual MODFLOW, a three dimensional groundwater flow model, was used to analyze effects of a weir construction in an alluvial stream on the nearby groundwater flow system. A hypothetical conceptual model was developed to investigate how the groundwater level and the water budget could change after a weir construction depending on the location of tributary streams. A site example, dealing with the Juksan weir installed in the Yeongsan River, was also demonstrated to predict the effects of the weir construction. Model results show that impacts of a weir construction on the groundwater flow system greatly vary depending on how far a tributary is located and whether it is located downstream or upstream from the weir. Therefore, consideration of the location of tributaries in planning the location of a weir could effectively minimize the impacts of a weir construction on the groundwater flow system. It is also demonstrated that model results are highly dependent upon how the model is dealing with small tributaries and agricultural drainage channels, which can be easily found nearby the main streams, acting as major water bodies for groundwater discharge. The model for the Juksan area shows that the weir construction will change the direction of groundwater flow in some areas, leading to changes of groundwater quality and interaction of the Yeongsan River to the aquifer from a gaining to a losing stream. The model also predicted the areas where rise of groundwater level caused by the Juksan weir could adversely affect plant growth, and thereby suggested installing new drainage channels as a countermeasure to drawdown the groundwater level.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.855-861
• /
• 2011

Short-term effects of current velocity and turbid water on the benthic diatom community and water quality were examined in artificial channel ($20{\times}200{\times}10cm$) with two different experiments. The first and second experiments were consisted of different current velocities such as 1 L/min., and 1, 3, and 6 L/min., respectively. The concentration of turbid water is prepared with loess and fixed at 10 and 20 times of the turbidity of control inflow (10 NTU, LTW), respectively. At experiment 1 (EXP-1), introduction of turbid water increased dissolved oxygen, electric conductivity, pH and turbidity, but there were no differences between low- (100 NTU, MTW) and high-turbid water (200 NTU, HTW). However, experiment 2 (EXP-2) did not change any environmental parameters except dissolved total and inorganic nitrogen like EXP-1. MTW in EXP-1 strongly stimulated the growth of benthic diatom, while both MTW (150 NTU) and HTW (300 NTU) in EXP-2 did not increase or decrease the diatom abundance. Over the study, the dominant species was four, Aulacoseira ambigua, Cyclotella stelligera, Aulacoseira granulata and Achnanthes minutissima. In EXP-1, two highest species in abundance, A. ambigua and A. granulata were highly grown in MTW, while Achnanthes minutissima high in HTW adversely. These results indicate that the introduction of turbid water can play an important role in the shift of water quality and benthic diatom community in stream ecosystem, especially inflow of soil water in low current velocity.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.102-111
• /
• 2009

Turbid storm runoff from intensive highland agriculture area has emerged as the major problem of water quality deterioration in the upstream region of the Han River. High slope of the upland combined with high rate of fertilization and intensive plowing causes high rate of soil erosion, and subsequently high suspended sediment and phosphorus content in the runoff water. The variations of water quality during rain spells were surveyed for two years (2005 and 2006) in the Jawoon Stream that is one of hot spots of intensive horticulture discharging turbid storm runoff. SS and TP showed large increase according to the increase of flow rate, whereas TN and BOD showed less fluctuations. Mean EMCs of SS and TP measured for nine rain events were as high as $207mgSS{\cdot}L^{-1}$ and $0.27mgP{\cdot}L^{-1}$, respectively. The export coefficient of SS and TP per area of cultivated field were calculated as $11,912kgSS{\cdot}yr^{-1}{\cdot}km^{-2}$ and $785kgP{\cdot}yr^{-1}{\cdot}km^{-2}$, repectively, which are significantly higher than reports of other area. It can be concluded that SS and TP in the runoffs were high enough to impose major threat to aquatic habitats, and the highland agriculture should be the main target of water quality management or habitat conservation in the study area.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.145-156
• /
• 2015

This study was based on water quality data of the Lake Doam watershed, monitored from 2010 to 2013 at eight different sites with multiple physiochemical parameters. The dataset was divided into two sub-datasets, namely, non-rainy and rainy. Principal component analysis (PCA) and factor analysis (FA) techniques were applied to evaluate seasonal correlations of water quality parameters and extract the most significant parameters influencing stream water quality. The first five principal components identified by PCA techniques explained greater than 80% of the total variance for both datasets. PCA and FA results indicated that total nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, total phosphorus, and dissolved inorganic phosphorus were the most significant parameters under the non-rainy condition. This indicates that organic and inorganic pollutants loads in the streams can be related to discharges from point sources (domestic discharges) and non-point sources (agriculture, forest) of pollution. During the rainy period, turbidity, suspended solids, nitrate nitrogen, and dissolved inorganic phosphorus were identified as the most significant parameters. Physical parameters, suspended solids, and turbidity, are related to soil erosion and runoff from the basin. Organic and inorganic pollutants during the rainy period can be linked to decayed matters, manure, and inorganic fertilizers used in farming. Thus, the results of this study suggest that principal component analysis techniques are useful for analysis and interpretation of data and identification of pollution factors, which are valuable for understanding seasonal variations in water quality for effective management.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
• /
• 2008.05a
• /
• pp.102-106
• /
• 2008

This study is to evaluated the impact of varying spatial resolutions of DEM (2 m, 10 m, and 30 m), land use (QuickBird, 1/25,000 and Landsat), and soil data (1/25,000 and 1/50,000) on the uncertainty of Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) predicted streamflow, sediment, T-N, and T-P transport in a small agricultural watershed ($1.21\;km^2$). SWAT model was adopted and the model was calibrated for a $255.4\;km^2$ watershed using 30 m DEM, Landsat land use, and 1/25,000 soil data. The model was run with the combination of three DEM, land use, and soil map respectively. The SWAT model was calibrated for 2 years (1999-2000) using daily streamflow and monthly water quality (SS, T-N, T-P) records from 1999 to 2000, and verified for another 2 years (2001-2002). The average Nash and Sutcliffe model efficiency was 0.59 for streamflow and the root mean square error were 2.08, 4.30 and 0.70 tons/yr for sediment, T-N and T-P respectively. The hydrological results showed that output uncertainty was biggest by spatial resolution of land use. Streamflow increase the watershed average CN value of QucikBird land use was 0.4 and 1.8 higher than those of 1/25,000 and Landsat land use caused increase of streamflow.