Seasonal Changes in Water Quality of Rivers and Ground Water in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan

The study investigates the seasonal changes in the chemical characteristics of river water and ground water in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan from August 2008 to September 2010. The results indicate that major ion concentrations of ground water were higher than Amu-Darya river water, and NO3 concentration in winter were higher than other seasons. However river water and ground water showed different trends. Particularly, NO3 concentrations of ground water in the winter season of 2009 were higher than 2010. In summer 2008, water volumes of Amu-Darya were extra lower than other years, which possibly resulted in higher concentrations for this particular summer.