Assessment of Spatial – Temporal Variations in Freshwater Pollution by Means of Water Quality Index: A Case Study of Hasanağa Stream Basin (Edirne, Turkey)

Abstract

In this research, spatial – temporal variations of water quality in the fluvial components of theHasanağa Stream Basin were evaluated by using the Water Quality Index. Surface water sampleswere taken from seven stations selected on the basin in the winter seasons of 2019 and 2020. Eleven variables including dissolved oxygen, oxygen saturation, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, salinity, turbidity, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate and sulphate were measured in freshwater samples. The Water Quality Index (WQI) and Cluster Analysis (CA) were applied to the detecteddata in order to determine the differences among the spatial – temporal contamination levels andclassify the investigated locations according to their similar water quality characteristics. Accordingto the detected data, the water of the Hasanağa Stream Basin has 1. – 2. Class quality in 2019 and2. – 3. in 2020, in general. According to the results of WQI, although it was determined that thewater quality decreased significantly in 2020, the basin was found to be of "A Grade – Excellent"water quality (