Study on relationship of land use & landscape pattern and water quality in Dahuofang reservoir watershed

Inappropriate land use is considered a main factor in the deterioration of water quality. To investigate the relationship between land use and water quality (RLWs), 5 physicochemical parameters (TN, NO3-N, NH3-N, NO2-N and TP) of water from 77 sampling sites of Dahuofang Reservoir watersheds were monitored during 2012-2013. Based on "source-sink" landscapes, the sampling sites were classified into six groups. RLWs in three periods were analyzed via stepwise multiple regression models. The landscapes of forest and farmland cover types played significant roles in determining the surface water quality during the low-flow, high-flow, and mean-flow periods based on the results of a stepwise linear regression. These results may provide incentive for the local government to consider sustainable land use practices for water conservation.