Herein, we analyzed the spatial and temporal variation of DO (dissolved oxygen), BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), and COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) with the monthly mean observed data for 10 years (2008~2017) in the main stream of the Nakdong River. The water quality of the stations declined in a downstream direction, with the BOD and COD showing their highest values at the ST5 station. From the analysis of the correlation of water quality components at 10 stations, the correlation coefficient between the DO and water temperature was more than –0.90, and that between BOD and Chl-a was 0.48~0.85, and that between COD and TOC was more than 0.65 except for the ST5 and ST10 stations. From the regression analysis using data collected from all stations, the water temperature and DO decreased linearly with a coefficient of determination of 0.90, and the Chl-a and BOD could be described by increasing power functions with a coefficient of determination of 0.83. The TOC and COD followed increasing logarithm functions with a coefficient of determination of 0.58. The TOC efficiency at the 10 stations was estimated and the average efficiencies of BOD and COD were 15.5~36.3% and 57.4~89.6%, respectively.

Deoxygenation process in which CBOD(carbonaceous BOD) is biochemically oxidized to reduced inorganic compounds is of great significance in the oxygen demand of stream waters. The CBOD decay rate has traditionally been determined in a laboratory by CBOD bottle incubation method. But in this study, CBOD decay rates were obtained by laboratory incubation method and natural waters experiment. Average CBOD decay rate for the Nakdong river(upper zone) in natural waters were 0.553 day-1 during April 2005 to January 2007. The values in the middle and down parts of the Nakdong river in natural waters were 0.384 day-1 and 0.252 day-1 at the same period of time, respectively. Average CBOD decay rates using by incubation method in the upper/middle/down parts of the main stream in the Nakdong river basin was 0.270 day-1, 0.289 day-1, and 0.283 day-1 during April 2005 to January 2007, respectively.