Surface waters are subject to strong anthropogenic pressures caused by the development and extension of agricultural activities, as well as industrial and domestic activities. However, surface water is exposed to significant pollution as they collect domestic and industrial sewage and irrigation effluents. One of the most important resources in Algeria is the water of valley of Soummam (north-eastern Algeria). This study aims to assess and characterize water quality of Soummam wadi. For this purpose, the water quality parameters pH, the biological oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrites (NO2- ), nitrates (NO3-), orthophosphate (PO43-), dissolved oxygen (O2%), and ammonium (NH4+) concentrations were included to assess the pollution status of the water. A number of water quality index are being used for assessing water quality and evaluated state of organic pollution in surface water in Soummam wadi including: organic pollution index (IPO), surface Water Quality Index according to Demmak.A, 2014, and nitrates (NO3) toxicity following classification of Isaac et al 2009 were also determined. The results achieved in this study show that all sattions indicate a moderate degree of pollution based on IPO index. According to the results obtained by index quality of water, and the classification of Isaac, they looked both similar and complemented the majority of stations have high concentration of BOD5, DCO,and NO3 , showed the poor and very poor surface water quality.

Surface water; pollution organic; IPO; Soummam; index