Limnological Study of Upper Ganga River Basin Uttarakhand

Abstract

In this thesis, Upper Ganga Basin covering a stretch of ~294 km from Gangotri to Haridwar has been selected in order to perceive the limnological study of river Ganga. River water and sediment samples were collected from 24 study sites, which were classified into 3 ecological zones (Epirhithron, metarhithron and hyporhithron) during premonsoon, monsoon and winter seasons in 2016 and 2017. newlineThe physico-chemical and microbiological parameters (pH, Salinity, Resistivity, Electrical Conductivity, Total Dissolved Solids, Dissolved Oxygen, Biological Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Total Hardness, Total alkalinity, Bicarbonate, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, Nitrate, Sulphate, Total Coliform), irrigation water quality parameters (Sodium Adsorption Ratio and Sodium percentage), major elements (Iron, Strontium ) and trace elements (Aluminum, Barium, Chromium, Manganese, Nickel, Lead, Zinc) were analyzed in river water samples. Dominance of Total Coliform (MPN/100 mL) was found less in the epirhithron while found higher in metarhithron and hyporhithron. Different statistical techniques and index such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Pearson Correlation Matrix, Cluster Analysis (CA), Water Quality Index (WQI), Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) were employed to investigate water quality characteristics and health risk assessment. In epirhithron and hyporhithron zone, Achnanthes sp. showed maximum number while metarhithron had dominant diatom species of Nitzschia sp. newlineFromthe X-Ray Diffractogram (XRD) patternsmajor minerals were determined in sediment samples and percentage of quartz was observed more than 60 % in all sediment samples. Results from (Igeo) indicate inputs of Zn and Pb in sediment samples,entering from anthropogenic sources in a major way.Moreover, riparian medicinal vegetation plants were collected from each ecological zone and further evaluated tantimicrobial properties to identify their role in water quality improvement. newline