The Spatiotemporal Eutrophication Status and Trends in the Paldang Reservoir, Republic of Korea

Abstract

The Paldang Reservoir (PDR), the largest artificial lake in the Republic of Korea, has recently experienced increased chemical oxygen demand (COD), eutrophication, and algal blooms due to climate change. This study aimed to analyze the hydrological characteristics and water quality of the PDR and assess its spatial and seasonal eutrophication status changes using the Korean-type trophic quality index (TSIKO) and the seasonal Mann–Kendall Test (SMK). The PDR’s water was graded “good” in terms of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and “fair” for COD, total phosphorous (TP), and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), according to Korean water quality standards. COD and Chl-a had a significant positive monotonic relationship. According to the TSIKO calculations, the trophic state of the PDR was mesotrophic, but eutrophic during the summer season. TSIKO (Chl-a) in summer tended to increase with a slope value of 0.22 mg/m3/year. The main causes of eutrophication in the PDR were proposed to be TP and phytoplankton overgrowth. Therefore, lake and reservoir functions need to be assessed, and solutions that can effectively protect them from excessive eutrophication to ensure sustainable clean water use and protect freshwater ecosystems need to be found.