Assessment of the Water Quality Index in the Semani River in Albania

Document pages: 16 pages

Abstract: Nowadays the human activity has increased the pressure on surface water quality. The purpose of this study is to assess the environmental quality of the Seman River water (in Southern part of Albania) through a 5-year monitoring program of 14 parameters (pH, DO, EC, TSS, Cl-, NO-3, Total-N, Total-P, BOD5, Cu2+, Ni2+, Pb2+, Cd2+ and Temp. °C), that determine the environmental status of this waterbody, as well as the application of WQI (CCME) through a multivariable approach. Based on the cluster dendogram results, it can be concluded that during wet seasons such as winter-spring, there are more sediments which influence other physic-chemical parameters, while during dry seasons (summer-autumn) there are more decomposition reactions of elements released by sediments and influenced by temperature. PCA analysis determines whether the groups of factors correlate strongly or not, depending on the internal structures of the groups and variables “heavy” or latent and vary from season to season with differentiated contributions to the water quality. All three factors influence WQI to the extent of 56 in the summer and spring season and 64 and 40 in the autumn and winter season, respectively.