ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Water Quality Assessment in Karaboğaz Stream
Basin (Turkey) from a Multi-Statistical
Perspective
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1
Giresun University, Faculty of Engineering, Departments of Environmental Engineering, 28200, Giresun,
Turkey
2
Kastamonu University, Faculty of Fisheries, Departments of Aquaculture, 37150 Kastamonu,
Turkey
Submission date: 2020-12-01
Final revision date: 2021-01-25
Acceptance date: 2021-01-28
Online publication date: 2021-07-05
Publication date: 2021-09-22
Corresponding author
Arzu Aydın Uncumusaoğlu
Department of Environmental Engineering, Giresun University, Faculty of Engineering,, 28000, Giresun, Turkey
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2021;30(5):4747-4759
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ABSTRACT
This study aims to evaluate the spatial and temporal changes in water quality of Karaboğaz
Stream using statistical methods, to determine the main pollutant sources and to demonstrate
the water quality classes. Water-quality data were obtained monthly (November 2016-October 2017)
from 10 stations and considering 28 parameters. Temporal and spatial variations of Stream surface
water quality were analyzed using multivariate statistical techniques on datasets, including
agglomerative hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA).
The analysis refers to the four main components responsible for the data structure and accounts for
87.41% of the total variance of the dataset. The root of these main components is generally related
to the point source pollution (anthropogenic), nonpoint source pollution (agricultural activities) and
natural processes (climate, soil and rock erosion). The temporal analysis of the water quality with
HCA indicated that autumn is different from the other seasons. This study presents the practicality
of various statistical methods in assessing and interpreting water-quality data to monitor and increase
the management efficiency. When designing the most appropriate action plans for managers to control
pollution, clearer, understandable information can be achieved using these methods and interpreting
raw data.