Design of water quality sam pling locations for data scarce region

River water quality monitoring data are essential to sustainable water resources management. A crucial part in designing a robust water quality monitoring network is the selection of appropriate water quality sampling locations. Due to cost and time constraints, it is essential to identify and select these locations in accurate and efficient manner. The main contribution of the present article is the development of a practical methodology for allocating critical sampling points in present conditions of the non-point sources within a data scarce region. To achieve this purpose, the river mixing length method (RML) was applied to propose potential sampling points. Non-point source potential pollution score (NPPS) was then proposed by the analytic network process (ANP) to prioritize and select the mostappropriate points for an entire river system. By considering anthropogenic activities through land-use mapping, the hierarchy value, and the non-point source potential pollution score values, the seven most appropriate locations were identified. The results of this study should be valuable for water quality monitoring agencies looking for a cost-effective approach for selecting exact sampling locations.

کلیدواژه ها:

Water quality monitoring network ، River mixing length ، ANP ، Land-use change modeling