The relationship of climatic and hydrological parameters to surface water quality in the lower Mekong River

Abstract

The relationship between climatic, hydrological and water quality parameters of the lower Mekong River flowing through four different countries (Thailand, Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam) was studied. The Mekong River Commission (MRC) secondary data of climatic and hydrological parameters included precipitation, evaporation, average air temperatures, mean water level and discharge flow. Water quality parameters consisted of TSS, NO(3)(-), PO(4)(3-), DO, pH, conductivity, Ca, Mg, Na, K, alkalinity, Cl, SO(4)(2-), Fe, TP, Si and COD. Pearson's correlation was used to determine their relationship. The results reveal that the correlations of climatic, hydrological and water quality parameters in those four countries located along the lower Mekong River had the same trend. Precipitation had fair positive correlations with mean water level (ranging 0.375-0.661), discharge flow (ranging 0.526-0.659) and mean air temperature (ranging 0.515-0.621), however had weak negative correlation with evaporation (ranging 0.169-0.468). Concerning relationship with water quality, the results show that TSS, NO(3)(-), PO(4)(3-), TP and COD had weak to fair positive correlations with precipitation, mean water level, discharge flow. However, DO, pH, conductivity, Ca, Mg, Na, K, alkalinity, Cl, SO(4)(2-) and Si had fair to strong negative correlations with all hydrological parameters. Finally, TSS, alkalinity and conductivity were proposed as sensitive water quality parameters for monitoring impacts of changing climate in the lower Mekong River.