Spatial and seasonal variations in the water quality of Jinhae Bay, Korea

Abstract The chemical and biological characteristics of surface waters in Jinhae Bay were investigated over four seasons to understand water quality in light of the growing industrialisation occurring within this area. Jinhae Bay includes four smaller bays: Masan; Hangam; Jindong; and Gohyun. The water quality in Jinhae Bay varied spatially and seasonally. The water quality of both Hangam Bay and Masan Bay was highly degraded, demonstrating high concentrations of ammonia, nitrate, chlorophyll a and particulate organic carbon. Contamination from sewage was the dominant cause of the water quality deterioration in these bays. Conversely, the water quality in Jindong Bay and Gohyun Bay was not as severely affected as that of the above two bays. Water quality in Jinhae Bay was particularly poor in summer when nutrient loading was highest due to the run‐off associated with high precipitation. Principal component analysis indicated that nitrogen contamination was a major factor influencing the water quality of Jinhae Bay. The effective reduction in high‐nitrogen discharges is essential to improve water quality in Jinghae Bay.