Correlation of Water Quality Parameters in Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong

Abstract

In this paper, long-term biweekly measurements on the various water quality parameters in Tolo Harbour from year 1982 to 1990, subsequent to the declaration of the area as water control zone, were analyzed and correlated. Correlations have been demonstrated between surface chlorophyll-a concentration with secchi depth and with total nitrogen concentration (TN) in the three sub-zones of Tolo Harbour in Hong Kong with different water quality objectives. The correlation between chlorophyll-a concentration and total phosphorus concentration (TP) is less significant which can be explained by the TN/TP ratio. The correlations are useful for water management, planning and effective pollution control on the land-locked estuary.