SIYUE LI , XIAOLI CHENG , ZHIFANG XU , HONGYIN HAN & QUANFA ZHANG. Spatial and temporal patterns of the water quality in the Danjiangkou Reservoir, China.  Hydrological Sciences Journal, 2009, 54:1, 124-134, DOI: 10.1623/hysj.54.1.124

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1623/hysj.54.1.124

Abstract: The three-route South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP), transferring water from the  water-rich Yangtze River and its tributaries to the much drier area of North China for irrigation, industrial  and domestic use, has been implemented in China since 2002. Thus, water quality in the Danjiangkou  Reservoir, the water source area of the SNWDP’s Middle Route, is of great concern. We investigate its  water quality from 2004 to 2006 by monitoring some important physical (T, turbidity and SPM) and  chemical (DO, pH, alkalinity, TDS, SpCond, ORP, CODMn and BOD) parameters and nutrient (nitrogen and  phosphorus) contents. Consequently, their spatial and temporal patterns in the reservoir were examined. The  results indicate that the water of the reservoir is of a Ca and HCO3 type, and the major pollutants are  nitrogen and CODMn. Comparisons among the sampling sites show that water quality increases downstream,  implying the self-purification capacity of the reservoir. The reservoir in general has better water quality in  the dry season than in the wet season. Integrated basin management would be critical of the water quality in  the Danjingkou Reservoir for the interbasin water transfer project.  

Key words : Danjiangkou Reservoir; physico-chemical properties; nutrients; water quality; interbasin water transfer