Euiam and Paldang Reservoirs have often been facing water quality problems, such as eutrophication, algal blooms and off-flavors by treated wastewater effluent (TWE) in the North-Han and the Han River basins, but little is examined on the direct biological effect of TWE. This study tested algal growth potential (AGP) of four TWEs discharged into Euiam and Paldang Reservoirs to evaluate water fertility in September 2014 and March and September 2015. Test alga was used Anabaena circinalis isolated from Paldang Reservoir. Mean concentration of T-N and T-P in TWEs was 3,956.7 μg N L-1 and 50.8 μg P L-1, and the proportion of NO3-N and PO4-P to the total fraction was 72.1% and 40.8%, respectively. Both N and P were high in TWEs, but much higher N than P concentration indicates strong P-limitation. As a consequence, the maximum AGP was determined by PO4-P concentration (r=0.998, p<0.01). Mean AGP value was 15.4 mg dw L-1 among four effluents indicating its eutrophic condition. Due to the establishment of tertiary (advanced T-P) treatment method in the studied plants recently, P concentration was significantly decreased in TWEs compared to the years prior to 2012. However, P concentration seems to be still high enough to cause eutrophication and algal blooms. Therefore, wastewater treatment to P-free level needs to be considered if effluents are directly discharged into the drinking water resources.

This study explored spatiotemporal variability of water quality in correspondence with hydrometeorological factors in the four stations of Euiam Reservoir located in the upstream region of the North-Han River from May 2012 to December 2015. Seasonal effect was apparent in the variation of water temperature, DO, electric conductivity and TSS during the study period. Stratification in the water column was observed in the near dam site every year and vanished between August and October. Increase of nitrogen nutrients was observed when inflowing discharge was low, while phosphorus increase was distinct both during the early season with increase of inflowing discharge and the period of severe draught persistent. Duration persisting high concentration of Chl-a (>25 mg m-3: the eutrophic status criterion, OECD, 1982) was 1~2 months of the whole year in 2014~2015, while it was almost 4 months in 2013. Water quality of Euiam Reservoir appeared to be affected basically by geomorphology and source of pollutants, such as longitudinally linked instream islands and Aggregate Island, inflowing urban stream, and wastewater treatment plant discharge. While inflowing discharge from the dams upstream and outflow pattern causing water level change seem to largely govern the variability of water quality in this particular system. In the process of spatiotemporal water quality change, factors related to climate (e.g. flood, typhoon, abruptly high rainfall, scorching heat of summer), hydrology (amount of flow and water level) might be attributed to water pulse, dilution, backflow, uptake, and sedimentation. This study showed that change of water quality in Euiam Reservoir was very dynamic and suggested that its effect could be delivered to downstream (Cheongpyeong and Paldang Reservoirs) through year-round discharge for hydropower generation.

This study explored spatiotemporal variability of water quality in correspondence with hydrometeorological factors in the five stations of Paldang Reservoir located in the Han River during 4 years from May 2012 to December 2015. Variability of basic water quality factors were largely related with seasonal fluctuations of hydrology. Temperature stratification occurred in the deep dam station, and prolonged hypoxia was observed during the draught year. Nitrogen nutrients were increased with decreasing inflow in which changing pattern of NH4 reversed to NO3 by the effect of treated wastewater effluent. Phosphorus increase was manifest during the period of high inflow or severe drought. Chl-a variation was reversely related with both flow change and AGP (algal growth potential) variations. Our study demonstrated that water quality variability in Paldang Reservoir was largely attributed to both natural and operational changes of inflow and outflow (including water intake) based on major pollution source of the treated wastewater (total amount of 472×103 m3 d-1) entering to the water system from watershed. In the process of water quality variability, meteorological (e.g., flood, typhoon, abnormal rainfall, scorching heat of summer) and hydrological factors (inflow and discharge) were likely to work dynamically with nutrients pulse, dilution, absorption, concentration and sedimentation. We underline comprehensive limnological study related to hydro-meteorolology to understand short- and long-term water quality variability in river-type large reservoir and suggest the necessity of P-free wastewater treatment for the effective measure of reducing pollution level of Paldang drinking water resource.