Sains Malaysiana 46(12)(2017): 2367–2374

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2017-4612-13

Assessing Water Quality of Murum Reservoir Halfway Through Impoundment

(Menilai Kualiti Air di Empangan Murum pada Separuh Perangkuman)

ANGIE SAPIS^1*, LEE NYANTI¹, LING TECK YEE², SIM SIONG FONG² & JONGKAR GRINANG³

¹Department of Aquatic Science, Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, University of Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak Bumi Kenyalang, Malaysia

²Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, University of Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak Bumi Kenyalang, Malaysia

³Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, University of Malaysia Sarawak

94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak Bumi Kenyalang, Malaysia

Diserahkan: 16 November 2015/Diterima: 31 Mei 2017

ABSTRACT

This paper reports the water quality of Murum Hydroelectric Reservoir, eight months after impoundment of the dam. A total of nine stations were selected in the reservoir. Temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chlorophyll-a and total suspended solids (TSS) were studied. The results showed that the water was warmer at 0.5 m depth. As the depth increased, temperature in the reservoir decreased in the range of 4.40°C to 7.35°C from 0.5 to 20 m depth. The concentration of DO dropped to zero at 4 - 6 m depth leading to anoxic level. pH at 0.5 m depth ranged from 6.40 to 7.20 and they were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those at 10 and 20 m. Chlorophyll-a at 0.5 m were in the range of 4.61 to 20.50 mg/L, relatively higher compared to 10 m and 20 m depths. The results obtained indicates that impoundment of Murum River generally caused water quality deterioration. In addition, this could be due to anthropogenic activities such as plantation and logging activities that are still going on within the catchment during the impoundment. Therefore, further continuous monitoring and investigation is required to determine the long-term water quality condition and identify factors that influence water quality in Murum Reservoir.

Keywords: Early impoundment; hydroelectric dam; Murum Dam; thermocline

ABSTRAK

Kertas ini melaporkan kualiti air empangan hidroelektrik Murum, lapan bulan selepas perangkuman empangan. Sebanyak sembilan stesen telah dipilih di dalam takungan. Suhu, pH, oksigen terlarut (DO), permintaan oksigen biokimia (BOD5), pepejal klorofil-a dan jumlah pepejal terampai (TSS) telah dikaji. Keputusan menunjukkan bahawa air lebih panas pada kedalaman 0.5 m. Apabila kedalaman meningkat, suhu dalam takungan menurun dalam lingkungan 4.40°C hingga 7.35°C daripada 0.5 hingga 20 m kedalaman. Kepekatan DO jatuh ke sifar pada kedalaman 4 - 6 m yang membawa kepada tahap anoksik. pH pada kedalaman 0.5 m adalah dari 6.40 hingga 7.20 dan mereka jauh lebih tinggi (p<0.05) berbanding dengan 10 dan 20 m. Klorofil-a pada 0.5 m berada dalam lingkungan 4.61 hingga 20.50 mg/L, lebih tinggi berbanding dengan 10 dan 20 m kedalaman. Hasil yang diperoleh menunjukkan bahawa perangkuman Sungai Murum secara amnya menyebabkan kemerosotan kualiti air. Di samping itu, ini boleh disebabkan aktiviti antropogenik seperti aktiviti perladangan dan pembalakan yang masih berlaku dalam semasa perangkuman. Oleh itu, pemantauan dan penyelidikan yang berterusan diperlukan untuk menentukan keadaan kualiti air jangka panjang dan mengenal pasti faktor yang mempengaruhi kualiti air di Empangan Murum.

Kata kunci: Empangan hidroelektrik; Empangan Murum; perangkuman awal; termoklin

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*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: angiesapis@gmail.com