Application of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index to assess and communicate monitoring data from coastal waters in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The purpose of this research was to (1) identify an existing water quality index methodology that could be used in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and (2) apply the water quality index to Abu Dhabi’s waters to communicate water quality conditions and track changes in conditions over time. The available monitoring data were reviewed to establish the types and frequencies of data available to populate an index, and a literature search was performed to identify and review existing water quality ind in use around the world. The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index was selected and customized for use in Abu Dhabi. Using the Canadian Council of Ministers Water Quality Index, two different data aggregation methods were investigated for developing a single Emirate-wide Water Quality Index score. Finally, an alternative method for calculating indices when there are fewer than four parameters was investigated. Three Water Quality Indexs were developed for use in Abu Dhabi: Eutrophication Index, Microbial Index, and Heavy Metals (in sediment) Index. The Canadian Council of Ministers Water Quality Index methodology was found to be relatively easy to use and flexible as a building block for tailored indices, which are used to communicate marine water quality conditions to various stakeholders, including scientists, managers, policymakers, and the public.

本研究旨在达成两项目标：(1) 筛选出可在阿拉伯联合酋长国阿布扎比地区应用的现有水质指数方法；(2) 将选定的水质指数应用于阿布扎比辖区水体，以传递水质状况信息并追踪水质随时间的变化趋势。研究人员先梳理现有监测数据，明确可用于构建指数的数据类型与采集频次；同时开展文献检索，识别并复盘全球范围内正在使用的各类现有水质指数。最终选定加拿大环境部长理事会水质指数（Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index），并针对阿布扎比地区的实际情况完成定制化改造。依托该指数框架，研究人员探究了两种不同的数据聚合方案，以生成覆盖整个阿布扎比酋长国的统一水质指数评分。此外，研究还针对参数数量少于4个时的指数计算替代方案展开了专项调研。本次研究共为阿布扎比地区开发了三类专用水质指数：富营养化指数、微生物指数以及沉积物重金属指数。研究结果表明，加拿大环境部长理事会水质指数方法相对易于操作，且具备良好的灵活性，可作为定制化水质指数的核心构建基础，用于向科学家、管理者、政策制定者及公众等各类利益相关方传递海洋水质状况信息。