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Technology and Engineering
- ISSN: 2333-2581
- Modern Environmental Science and Engineering
Water Quality Evaluation Modeling for the Hablehrood River under Various Hydrological Conditions
Siamak Boudaghpour1, Shervin Hashemi2, Farid Hashemi2, and Seth Engel3
1. Department of Civil Engineering, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
2. Atishar Mandegar Shargh Co. Tehran, Iran
3. University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA., USA
Abstract: Rapid population growth and industrialization in central Iran has caused serious damage to many sources of fresh water. One such water source is the Hablehrood River, which is relied upon for both drinking and agricultural water throughout a large region. In recent years, pollution has increased phosphate and nitrate levels in the river, such that the river’s restoration has become a prime objective of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). For this study, a model based on the US-EPA QUAL2K model was developed in order to track changes of nitrate and phosphate concentrations under different hydrological conditions. These hydrological conditions were identified by calculating the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) with normal distribution in four different locations along the Hablehrood River. The results from this model show significant water quality degradation during dry conditions. By using this model to predict water quality, more effective water management strategies can be developed, which can help improve water quality in the region.
Key words: Hablehrood River, hydrological conditions, nitrate and phosphate pollution, QUAL2K modeling, standard precipitation index
