Geoecological assessment of water bodies in Novosibirsk using cluster methods

Abstract

Currently, there are practically no water bodies left on the territory of the Russian Federation that are not affected by anthropogenic activity under the influence of which the water quality ceases to comply with the regulatory requirements. The most sensitive water bodies to the anthropogenic load are small water bodies and watercourses since the self-purification processes are very limited in comparison with larger water bodies. The article presents the results of cluster analysis of morphometric and hydrochemical parameters using the example of water bodies in the city of Novosibirsk. The analysis was carried out by complete link method with the development of dendrogram to identify the most optimal number of groups of water bodies and their further hydroecological assessment. When comparing dendrograms for a number of morphometric and hydrochemical parameters, it can be concluded that morphometric parameters do not affect the development of the component composition of water bodies within an urbanized territory. In general, the cluster analysis indicates the dependence of the water composition on the reservoir origin, which makes it possible to identify some features of the quality of water bodies; however, as a result of the analysis, it was revealed that the studied water bodies are not differentiated by the territory. This trend indicates the absence of large point stationary sources of pollution and confirms the presence of diffuse pollution.