Monitoring of Khuzistan water resources quality for domestic, industrial and irrigation usage using IRWQIsc and NSFWQI indices

Monitoring water quality is so important so as to decide about using them. So, this research was conducted to evaluate Khuzitan’s river water quality.

The rivers were studied consist of Dez, Karkheh, Maroon, Karoon and Zohreh. Data collecting was applied during 2018 for each river from specified stations. So, water quality standard of Iran, WHO and Canadian council of ministers of the environment, and Shoeller diagram and Wilcox diagram were used. In addition, IRWQIsc and NSFWQI standards were used to categorize river water quality.

The results showed that Dez water was industrially corrosive, while other rivers had sedimentary water for industrial use. The water quality of Dez was better than other rivers in Khuzestan province, but this river also had high magnesium, hardness and chlorine based on the Shoeller diagram. The quality of this river was better for agricultural purposes rather than the others. Karun River was moderately better than other rivers, and water quality is better upstream than downstream. According to IRWQIsc index, the water quality variations of Dez, Karkheh, Karoon, Maroon and Zohreh were 71-83, 41-52, 39-55, 33-41 and 25-32, respectively. The results of NSFWQI index for Dez, Karkheh, Karoon, Maroon and Zohreh rivers showed that the values of these rivers varied between 65-77, 55-70, 58-68, 52-60 and 36-48, respectively.

Thus Dez River was in relatively good condition. Karoon and Karkheh rivers were in moderate condition and other rivers were in relatively poor condition. According to all indices, water quality of Zohreh River was in poor condition and Dez River was in good condition. Other rivers had medium quality.