Water quality modeling of the Mert stream

Abstract

Wise and sustainable uses of water resources are essential for effective river-basin management planning. An intensive water quality study of the lower Mert stream, located in Samsun, in the mid-Black Sea coast of Turkey, was performed examining dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, total phosphate - phosphorus, nitrogen derivatives, stream hydrology, and major inputs. In this study, the Enhanced Stream Water Quality Model "QUAL2E" was applied to evaluate the present and future water pollution loads in the Mert stream. The QUAL2E was calibrated and validated using data collected between seasonally averaged values in 2002. The success of the model can also be judged by the ability of the model to represent the system under different conditions. Following the calibration, the model was run by applying the existing condition and different scenarios. For the existing conditions, pollution load transported from the Mert river to the Black Sea was calculated. In addition, simulations were made for different scenarios, including the best and worst case management conditions. Thus, this study also analyzed the impact of remediation and improvement in the water quality of the Mert Stream.