Abstract
In order to assess the influences of bottom sediment on water quality, following measurement were made. (1) Estimations of pollutant loads from the bottom sediment based on mass balance concept, (2) measurements of pollutant concentrations in the sediment to assess the pollution level and influence potential, (3) in situ and laboratory measurements of Sediment Oxygen Demants (SOD) and pollutant load (sediment release) from bottom sediment. Analyses of inflow and outflow loadings using simple mass balance show that there are some variations found according to the pollutants. However, there is no consistent evidence that the sediment can be a source of pollutants. Pollutant concentrations in the sediment range 16~724.8 mg/kg (COD), 1.68 ~12.64 mg/kg (T-P), 5.6~76.8 mg/kg (T-N), 0.32~21.6 mg/kg ($NH_3$-N), 0.092~0.544 mg/kg ($NO_2$-N), 4.8~18.4 mg/kg ($NO_3$-N), and 1.59~11.23 mg/kg ($PO_4$-P). Measured SOD ranges $0.190{\sim}0.802g{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$ and measured release rate ranges $-1618.42{\sim}10mg/m^2{\cdot}d$(COD), $-12{\sim}16mg/m^2{\cdot}d$(T-P), $-197.37{\sim}140mg/m^2{\cdot}d$(T-N), $0.4{\sim}74.32mg/m^2{\cdot}d$($NH_3$-N), $-2.04{\sim}0.8mg/m^2{\cdot}d$ ($NO_2$-N), $-70{\sim}40mg/m^2{\cdot}d$ ($NO_3$-N), and $-26.11{\sim}28.55mg/m^2{\cdot}d$($PO_4$-P). All study results indicate that bottom sediments in the Seoha weir show only limited effects on the water quality. It implies that sediment dredging is not an effective option or management measure to reduce pollutant loading.