EVALUATION OF SEASONAL VARIATIONS IN SURFACE WATER QUALITY OF THE CAGLAYAN, FIRTINA AND IKIZDERE RIVERS FROM RIZE, TURKEY

The Black Sea region of Turkey has ample fresh water. Three major rivers the caglayan, Firtina and Ikizdere on the Eastern Black Sea coast (Turkey) were evaluated for water quality. A total of 21 physicochemical water parameters were examined in these rivers during autumn (2013), winter, spring and summer (2014). The recorded values of pH, conductivity, hardness, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, arsenic, chromium, copper, manganese, nickel, lead, and zinc were lower than the current WHO guideline values for drinking water. The results of this study identified the caglayan River as the cleanest river in Rize when compared with the Firtina and Ikizdere.