1978∼80년 3개년에 걸쳐 경상북도 상주로 부터 경상남도 임해진에 이르는 洛東江 中流의 12개 지점과 琴湖江 및 南江 下流의 2개 지점에서 년 4회(1월, 4월, 7월, 10월)에 걸쳐 水質을 조사하고 이를 종합하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 1) 琴潮江 下流의 계절별 3년 평균 용존산소는 1월에 0.7 ppm, 4월에 1.3ppm, 7월에 4.0ppm, 10월에 0.8 ppm이었고, BOD농도는 1월에 91 ppm, 4월에 37 ppm, 7월에 6 ppm, 10월에 24 ppm이었다. 금호강 물은 극도로 오염되어 上水道 原水나 産業用水로서 이용할 수 없는 상태이었다. 2) 낙동강 上流의 水質은 깨끗하나 대구지역에서 금호강의 합류로 급격히 汚染되어 화원에서의 3년간 계절별 평균 용존산소는 1월에 10.4 ppm, 4월에 5.8 ppm, 7월에 6.3 ppm, 그리고 10월에 7.0ppm으로 떨어졌으며 BOD농도는 1월에 8.8ppm, 4월에 6.5 ppm, 7월에 3.2ppm, 10월에 5.3ppm으로 높은 오염도를 나타냈다. 혼탁도, NH₄-N, 전기전도도 등도 높은 값을 보였다.

The water quality at the Nakdong River stream was surveyed for 3 years from 1978 to 1980 at quarterly intervals of January, April, June and October at 12 sites along the main stream from Sangju to Imhaejin and at 2 sites of Geumho and Nam River tributaries. The overall results are summarized as follows: 1) The levels of dissolved oxygen in the Geumho River tributary on the basis of three-year average were 0.7 ppm in January, 1.3 ppm in April, 4.0 ppm in July and 0.8 ppm in October. BOD concentrations in the same period were 91 ppm in January, 37 ppm in April, 6 ppm in July and 24 ppm in October. The water of Geumho River was so highly contaminated that the water seems to be unsuitable for any type of water use. 2) The relatively clean water in the upstream of the main Nakdong River was rapidly polluted by the highly contaminated water of Geumho tributary. That is, dissolved oxygen and BOD at Hwawon site right after junction of the tributary were 10.4, 8.8 ppm in January, 5.8, 6.5 ppm in April, 6.3, 3.2 ppm in July and 7.0, 5.3 ppm in October, respectively. The values of turbidity, ammoniacal nitrogen and electrical conductivity were also observed to be quite high.