SPATIAL AND SEASONAL VARIATION IN GROUND WATER QUALITY OF RIVER PALAR BASIN USING MULTIVARIATE TECHNIQUES

In this study, spatial and seasonal variation in ground water quality of palar river basin using multivariate statistical techniques, such as cluster analysis, principle component analysis and factor analysis. water quality data collected from 8 sampling station in river during monsoon(October,November,december) and post monsoon(January,February,march) were analyzed for 13 parameters(pH, turbidity, Electrical conductivity (EC), total solid(TS),Total Dissolved solids (TDS), Total Hardness, calcium, magnesium, chlorides, Sulphates, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, ammonia). Cluster analysis grouped eight sampling stations into three clusters of similar water quality features and thereupon the whole river basin may be categorized into three zones, i.e. low, moderate and high pollution. The principle component analysis/factor analysis assisted to extract and recognize the factors or origins responsible for water quality variations in each month. The inorganic parameters total solid,total dissolved solid,total hardness,electrical conductivity were the most significant parameter contributing variations in all month.