• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.175-192
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• 2001

We have collected hydrogeochemical data of shallow groundwaters in the Uljin area located at eastern coastal area of Korea. Geostatistical analysis (ANOVA test, cluster analysis, and factor analysis) of the collected data sets was pert'onned, in order to evaluate both the spatial and/or temporal variation of water quality data and the groundwater contamination, as weJl as the principal reactions occurring in the aquifer. Results of the ANOVA test show that regional water chemistry are not significantly changed spatially in eight watersheds. However, some ions such as $Ca^{2+}$, $HCO_{3}^{-}$ and $SO_{4}^{2-}$ show a meaningful watershed variation. Water chemistry variation according to sampling time (season) is not shown, except for $SO_{4}^{2-}$. The cluster analysis shows that significant water chemistry variation is eXplained by the distance from the coast. Factor analysis indicates that the water chemistry is changed according to various factors as follows: in the order of decreasing importance, water-rock interaction (mainly, carbonate dissolution), sea-salt spraying, and then contamination by fertilizers and agrochemicals.