Analysis of the Water Quality Characteristics of Urban Streams Using the Flow–Pollutant Loading Relationship and a Load Duration Curve (LDC)

For urban streams, wastewater inflow makes water quality management difficult. This study attempted to analyze the water quality characteristics and pollution sources for the efficient management of water quality in the upper, middle, and lower Gul-po stream reaches. The water quality and flow characteristics for each point were analyzed using five-year water quality and flow discharge data at Gul-po stream from 2016 to 2020. The results showed that the flow increased and the water quality improved in the upper part of the stream, under the influence of a treated water discharge. The flow–pollutant loading equation revealed that the flow coefficient (slope of the regression equation) values of the water quality characteristics, except T-N, were lower than 1 in the upper part, indicating that the water quality decreased as the flow increased. In the middle and lower parts, the flow index values of the water quality characteristics, except T-N, were greater than 1, indicating that the water quality increased with the flow. For the middle and lower parts, the overage rate of target water quality by the Ministry of Environment was high for high-flow discharge sections, indicating the significant influence of nonpoint pollution sources. These results show that it is necessary to consider different pollution sources at each point for urban stream quality management.