Analysis of Water Quality Characteristics of the Incheon Coastal Area by the Inflow of Stream Water

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effects of the influent rivers into the coastal waters of Incheon on the water quality of the sea area by analyzing the survey results of the national marine environment measurement network for the sea areas, Incheon 7, Incheon 6, and Incheon 17. Using the data from the summer (August) and winter seasons (February) from 2015 to 2019, the effects of the influent rivers were compared and analyzed by season and distance from the land, and the degree of influence was quantitatively expressed by correlation analysis and principal component analysis. As a result of the analysis by season, 61.2% of the total water quality characteristics of Incheon 7 were influenced by the influent rivers in summer, and 20% in winter, indicating a greater influence of the influent rivers in the summer. As a result of the analysis by distance from the land, 61.2% of the water quality characteristics were affected in Incheon 7 (summer), 46.45% in Incheon 6 (summer), and 9.65% in Incheon 17 (summer), indicating that the effect of influent rivers decreased as the distance from the land increased.