Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
7
WATER QUALITY
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
When you have finished reading this chapter you should have:
An understanding of water quality as an issue in hydrology and how it ties into water quantity.
A knowledge of the main parameters used to assess water quality and what affects their levels in a
river.
A knowledge of the measurement techniques and sampling methodology for assessing water quality.
A knowledge of techniques used to control water pollution and manage water quality.
This chapter identifies the different types of
pollutants that can be found in a river system and
describes the major sources of them, especially
where elevated levels may be found and what impact
their presence has on aquatic ecology. The chapter
also outlines the methods used to measure water
quality parameters. This is followed with a
description of the management techniques used to
control water quality in a river catchment.
Traditionally hydrology has been interested
purely in the amount of water in a particular area:
water quantity. This is frequently referred to as
physical hydrology. If, however, we take a wider
remit for hydrology - to include the availability of
water for human consumption - then issues of water
quality are of equal importance to quantity. There
are three strong arguments as to why hydrology
should consider water quality an area worthy of
study.
1
The interlink between water quality and quantity
.
Many water quality issues are directly linked to
the amount of water available for dilution and
dispersion of pollutants, whether they be natural
or anthropogenic in source. It is virtually
impossible to study one without the other. An
example of this is shown in the Case Study of the
River Thames through London (pp. 127-129).
2
The interlink between hydrological processes and water
quality
. The method by which pollutants transfer
