Seasonal variations of raw water of Tigris River and effect on quality water plants

الملخص EN

The study present an extensive investigation of physic-chemical parameters of water samples of Tigris river at Baghdad.

Water samples under investigations were collected from eight station during spring season(march, April, May), summer season( June, July, August) and autumn season (September, October - November)and winter season (December January, February) in the year 2008.

This study aimed at using 18 ecological parameters in evaluating the quality of the Tigris River for public usage, by choosing eight sampling sites along the river in Baghdad area.

These parameters included are Temperature 0C, Turbidity, pH value, Total hardness, Iron, Chlorides, EC, TDS, TSS, calcium, Sulfate, Nitrate, Fluoride, Total Alkalinity, Magnesium, DO, BOD5 and PO4 Parameters were used for calculating water quality seasonal variation in the Tigris River at study area.

water temperature showed high seasonal variations, ranging from 12-17 °C in the winter, to 25.3-31.67°C in the summer, pH values in all stations in Tigris River showed slightly alkaline, Conductivity distribution along the river showed high values in the East Tigris, Rashed and Karam.

Seasonally, the highest conductivity levels were observed in winter, Turbidity values in all stations in Tigris River were higher in the autumn and winter during irrigation period, The lowest TH values were detected in Karkh for all season while the highest value of TH at Rashed in autumn season, The calcium concentration values fall between 65 to 179.33 mg/l and the average is 122.165 mg/l.

The magnesium concentration values fall between 29 to 39 mg/l and the average is 34 mg/l.

the lowest chloride values were detected in winter ,Chloride values varied from 32 to 113.87 mg/l, Total dissolved solids varied between (75 – 1324.7) mg/l in all study stations minimum of 75 mg/l in spring to a maximum of 1324.7 mg/l in Autumn , Seasonally, the highest TSS values in all stations were observed in spring, while the lowest ones were detected in Summer , DO concentrations varied from 3.47 mg/l at Wethaba in autumn to 7.9 mg/l .

Qadisiya in Summer, The highest BOD5 values in all stations except Karkh were observed in season.

Sulfate values did not show large variations among stations in the same season, ranging from 190 mg/l at Karkh in winter to 405 mg/l at Al Qadisiya autumn, the highest NO3 values were observed in autumn in all stations.

Al Karkh showed the highest NO3 values.

The phenomenon of water quality degradation along Tigris was generally evident throughout the year’s results.

Therefore, the authorities should practice more efforts in controlling various activities along the river bank.

The urgent water management rules should be applied, enforcing waste-water treatment systems among the factories and other activities