Assessment of Water Quality Parameters of Lentic and Lotic Waterbodies in Narmada Canal Command Area in Saurashtra Region, Gujarat

Abstract

<p>The objective of the present study was to assess the water quality of canal (man-made lotic waterbody) and ponds (man-made lentic waterbodies) present in Narmada Canal Command Area (NCCA) spread over four districts of Saurashtra region of Gujarat State,<em> viz.</em> Bhavnagar, Botad, Morbi, Surendranagar districts. Values of important physico-chemical parameters of water quality were determined through <em>in situ</em> and <em>ex situ</em> methods. Average values of parameters like pH (8.51), temperature (27.91 °C), electrical conductivity (6.32 ms/cm), TDS (559.18 ppm) turbidity (147.95 NTU), salinity (3.17 ppt) and phosphates (3.41mg/l) were found to be higher for pond waters, whereas the average values of DO (6.09 mg/l), total hardness (308.00 mg/l) and nitrates (2.37 mg/l) were found to be higher for the canal waters in the NCCA in the four districts. The study revealed that water quality of canals in the four districts was suitable for flora and fauna. For some ponds (n = 6) in Bhavnagar, Surendranagar and Morbi districts, the majority of water quality parameters, viz. pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, TDS, turbidity, salinity and phosphates had high values which might be undesirable from the view point of existence of some aquatic organisms. But as the values of these parameters for canal waters were lower and suitable for aquatic organisms, it is very likely that in the long run, the values of these water quality parameters of such ponds will become suitable for aquatic biota under the influence of long-term mixing of pond waters with canal waters having lower values of these parameters.</p>