Development of Spatial Similarity-Based Modeling to Support Integrated Lake Water Quality Management: Recreational Lakes in Klang Valley, Malaysia1

Abstract

Due to recent climate factors which lead to long dry spells and affect normal water distribution from the reservoir, there is a high potential for tapping water from recreational lakes as a resource alternative for high population density states in Malaysia such as Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. The challenges, however, are due to severe data limitations, no formation of a regular water quality monitoring programme and segregated catchment planning. This paper intends to discuss the application of similarity-based modeling as the alternative technique for integrated lake water quality management under the circumstances of severe data limitation issues and a limited programme of continuous lake water quality sampling and monitoring. The developed spatial model applies a similarity-based technique, with a distance of 1km buffer radius set as model database. LakePutrajaya has been chosen as similarity assessment control point due to its comprehensive data availability and long-term monitoring. Findings showed th...