Abstract:
River, between the Phophraya Gate, Changwat Suphanburi(km.117) to the Thachin River Estuary (km.319), spanning 202 kilometers distance, wasinvestigated, using Mike11 model. The Mike 11 model was composed of 3 modules : theHydrodynamic module, the Advection-Dispersion module, and the Water Quality module.From the Pollution Control Department data, the overall water quality in Lower Thachin River inyear 1996 was classified as Class 4 of the surface water quality standards. The lowest water qualitywas found in Amphoe Samphran and Amphoe Banglen, Changwat Nakhonpathom. The future riverwater quality in years 2007 and 2017, without the planned control gates and without additionalwastewater treatment, was predicted and found to have similar patterns of distribution along theriver as in year 1996 but more deteriorated, and was classified as Class 5 standards. But, withwastewater treatment considered most practical (i.e. 75% removal efficiency for domestic andindustrial wastes, and 40% removal for agricultural waste), the overall river water quality wasimproved, with the exception of the concentrations of D.O. (1.61 mg/L) and coliform bacteria(greater than 20,000 MPN/100 mL), making the river water quality to be in Class 4 standards, whichcould be used for industrial and navigation purposes only, and might be used for agriculturalpurpose as well. The river water quality was also predicted for years 2007 and 2017 for the case of having one upper control gate at Changwat Nakhonpathom and one lower control gate at Changwat Samutsakhon. For without-water treatment case, the overall water quality was found to be worst than those for the cases of without gates, falling into Class 5 standards, suitable for navigation only. With the same level of wastewater treatment as before, the river water quality upstream from the upper control gate (in Changwat Suphanburi) was found to improve, with the D.O. concentration being 2.0 mg/L on the average, but coliform bacteria concentration greater than 20,000 MPN/100 mL, putting the riverwater quality to be in Class 5 standards, suitable only for navigation, and perhaps for agriculturalpurposes. If it was desired to improve the D.O. and Coliform bacteria concentrations further,wastewater treatment higher than the level investigated in this study should be considered.