The Entire Catchment and Site Buffer Radii Landscape Variables, Urban Land Use as Predictors of Water Quality Variation

Abstract

A sampling program was conducted to assess watershed influences such as land use, catchment size and weather periodic variability on water quality of Kinta River. The percentage of land use of five predictor variables specifically forested land, agricultural land, developed area, water body and mine area were extracted from entire catchment and buffer zone with radii ranging from 200 to 1000 m. Correlation and regression analysis were conducted against twelve water quality parameters at ten selected water quality monitoring stations within the Kinta River watersheds. In most cases, the entire catchment landscape characteristics appear to have slightly greater influence on water quality rather than the specific sampling site of predetermined buffer radii. Percentages of developed area and water body indicate significant positive relationship within the entire catchment, but no significant relationship found at most of the sites within the buffer radii on the concentrations of water pollutants. Percentages of forested land and agriculture land show significant negative relationship with most of the water quality parameters tested within the entire catchment and site within the buffer radii respectively. Night-time was proved to discharge more effluents from agricultural land, industrial and residential areas