Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

IMPACT OF NORTH BANGKOK URBAN-FRINGE ON WATER QUALITY OF RANGSIT CANAL- A GEOSPATIAL AND MULTIVARIATE CHARACTERIZATION

Khatik Vasimshaikh A. and Tewelde G. Foto

Abstract

Pollution resulting from urban settlements in the Northern Bangkok has seriously affected water quality of Rangsit Prayoonsuk canal. This study was undertaken to investigate spatial patterns of pollution in the canal and examine its correlation with the urban settlements. Field surveys were conducted to understand the nature of urbanization and fix the sampling locations. Water samples were collected from 5 sampling locations and tested for critical water quality parameters. The results were evaluated with Water Quality Index (WQI), Scattergrams, Coefficient of Correlation, Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering Analysis (AHCA), one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Principle Component Analysis (PCA) and presented with Geospatial map. The WQI assessments of results show the quality of water in the khlong range from bad to medium. The intensely urbanized upstream section of the canal, adjoining Bangkok, is severely polluted whereas the midstream section comprising suburban area has moderate levels of pollution. However, downstream sites, despite sparse urban development have significant deterioration of water quality which is caused largely from the pollution influx from upstream and midstream sections. From the results it is concluded; the quality of water in the canal is severely deteriorated and there is a wider spatial variation from upstream to the downstream sites. The urbanization in the Northern Bangkok has seriously affected the quality of water in adjacent and distant sections of the canal..