Analyzing Water Quality in Darbandikhan Reservoir, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

The present study aims to understand the water quality of Darbandikhan Reservoir by calculating the Water Quality Index (WQI), and finding correlations amongst various water quality parameters as well as with climate variations. In this study, the ten physical and chemical water quality parameters were measured in Darbandikhan Reservoir such as pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved Oxygen, turbidity, nitrates, total hardness, calcium, iron and chlorides. Water samples were collected from eleven different locations in the reservoir in order to observe the spatial variation of water quality in the reservoir. Based on these measurements, the Water Quality Index (WQI) is calculated. In addition to this, secondary data were also collected for about two years at upstream and downstream of the dam which were used to develop the correlations. The observed results are compared with water quality standards, and the water quality index is applied for Darbandikhan Reservoir. The WQI can be used as an indicator to evaluate water quality of the reservoir, whereas correlations can be used to predict the water quality in the future by measuring the independent variables.