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Volume 12, Issue 2 (4-2026)
jhehp 2026, 12(2): 134-142 |
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Gholinezhad M, Shahedi K, Zamani A, Vahabzade kabria G, Mousavi S R. Comparative Analysis of Standard Water Quality Indices for Monitoring Northern Iranian Rivers: A Case Study of the Tajan, Haraz, and Cheshmekileh Rivers in Mazandaran Province. jhehp 2026; 12 (2) :134-142
URL: http://jhehp.zums.ac.ir/article-1-735-en.html
URL: http://jhehp.zums.ac.ir/article-1-735-en.html
Mehrtaash Gholinezhad1 
, Kaka Shahedi1 , Abbasali Zamani *2 , Ghorban Vahabzade kabria1 , Seyed Ramazan Mousavi1
, Kaka Shahedi1 , Abbasali Zamani *2 , Ghorban Vahabzade kabria1 , Seyed Ramazan Mousavi1
1- Department of Watershed Engineering, Faculty of Natural Resources, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran.
2- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Zanjan, Iran.
2- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Zanjan, Iran.
Abstract: (264 Views)
Background: Water quality is increasingly threatened by human activities and the impact of climate change. In this study, the water quality of the Haraz, Tajan, and Cheshmeh Kileh Rivers in Mazandaran Province was evaluated using three widely recognized and reliable water quality indices.
Methods: Physicochemical data obtained from samples collected at specified stations during 2021 and 2023 were analyzed. The evaluated parameters included dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, pH, turbidity, nitrate, phosphate, temperature, total coliforms, and total dissolved solids.
Results: The results demonstrated that the National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI) and Iranian Water Quality Index (IRWQI) generally classified the water quality of the Haraz, Tajan, and Cheshmeh Kileh Rivers as Moderate to Good, whereas the British Columbia Water Quality Index (BCWQI) categorized several stations as falling within the Poor category. This outcome is consistent with findings from national and international studies, which indicate that the BCWQI tends to be more stringent and sensitive to deviations from established water quality standards.
Conclusion: A comparison of the present study with domestic and international research validates the reliability of the results and confirms that the observed differences among the indices (especially the greater sensitivity of BCWQI) are fully consistent with global observations. These similarities indicate that the use of the Water Quality Index (WQI) in surface water studies can well reflect spatial and temporal changes in river water quality in humid regions with a temperate climate, such as Mazandaran Province.
Methods: Physicochemical data obtained from samples collected at specified stations during 2021 and 2023 were analyzed. The evaluated parameters included dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, pH, turbidity, nitrate, phosphate, temperature, total coliforms, and total dissolved solids.
Results: The results demonstrated that the National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI) and Iranian Water Quality Index (IRWQI) generally classified the water quality of the Haraz, Tajan, and Cheshmeh Kileh Rivers as Moderate to Good, whereas the British Columbia Water Quality Index (BCWQI) categorized several stations as falling within the Poor category. This outcome is consistent with findings from national and international studies, which indicate that the BCWQI tends to be more stringent and sensitive to deviations from established water quality standards.
Conclusion: A comparison of the present study with domestic and international research validates the reliability of the results and confirms that the observed differences among the indices (especially the greater sensitivity of BCWQI) are fully consistent with global observations. These similarities indicate that the use of the Water Quality Index (WQI) in surface water studies can well reflect spatial and temporal changes in river water quality in humid regions with a temperate climate, such as Mazandaran Province.
Type of Study: Original Article |
Subject:
Environmental Health, Sciences, and Engineering
Received: 2025/12/31 | Accepted: 2026/03/4 | Published: 2026/04/1
Received: 2025/12/31 | Accepted: 2026/03/4 | Published: 2026/04/1
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