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A water quality monitoring network design using fuzzy theory and multiple criteria analysis

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Abstract

A proper water quality monitoring design is required in a watershed, particularly in a water resource protected area. As numerous factors can influence the water quality monitoring design, this study applies multiple criteria analysis to evaluate the suitability of the water quality monitoring design in the Taipei Water Resource Domain (TWRD) in northern Taiwan. Seven criteria, which comprise percentage of farmland area, percentage of built-up area, amount of non-point source pollution, green cover ratio, landslide area ratio, ratio of over-utilization on hillsides, and density of water quality monitoring stations, are selected in the multiple criteria analysis. The criteria are normalized and weighted. The weighted method is applied to score the subbasins. The density of water quality stations needs to be increased in priority in the subbasins with a higher score. The fuzzy theory is utilized to prioritize the need for a higher density of water quality monitoring stations. The results show that the need for more water quality stations in subbasin 2 in the Bei-Shih Creek Basin is much higher than those in the other subbasins. Furthermore, the existing water quality station in subbasin 2 requires maintenance. It is recommended that new water quality stations be built in subbasin 2.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the National Science Council of the Republic of China for financially supporting this research under Contract no. NSC 100-2221-E-035-072-MY3.

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  1. Department of Water Resources Engineering and Conservation, Feng Chia University, No. 100 Wenhwa Rd., Seatwen, Taichung, 40724, Taiwan

    Chia-Ling Chang & You-Tze Lin

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  1. Chia-Ling Chang
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  2. You-Tze Lin
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Correspondence to Chia-Ling Chang.

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Chang, CL., Lin, YT. A water quality monitoring network design using fuzzy theory and multiple criteria analysis. Environ Monit Assess 186, 6459–6469 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-3867-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-3867-6

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