Abstract
The Doyang River of Wokha district, Nagaland, NE India, has a strong economic and traditional attachment to the local people. It provides sufficient fertile plains and slopes for cultivation, good grounds for community fishing and hunting. It is not only important for the people of Wokha but also for the state of Nagaland because of the rich natural resources it provides. This study was conducted to assess the Water Quality Index (WQI) of the Doyang River from eight selected sampling stations. Maximum WQI values were recorded during monsoon season in all the stations followed by pre-monsoon and post-monsoon. Sampling stations located in the upstream of the river experience deteriorating WQI due to the presence of hydroelectric dam, changing landuse practices, increasing settlements and deforestation in the catchment and river banks. The overall WQI values showed good water quality status indicating suitability for different human uses. The present study points out that pH, DO and BOD played a central role in affecting the WQI of the river; however, in case of nutrient elements no such significant roles were observed in affecting the water quality of the river. The condition of water quality in our present study felt the necessity to adopt proper management policy and conservation efforts along the riparian zones of Doyang River.
Highlights
Rivers are an important source of freshwater but are vulnerable to kinds of pollution to both point and nonpoint sources
The study provides us with valuable information about the overall water quality status of the Doyang River by calculating the Water Quality Index (WQI) values
As per the observation, recorded WQI values fall in good water quality status during preand post-monsoon in all the sampling stations and poor water quality status during monsoon in some of the sampling stations that are located upstream of the river
Summary
Rivers are an important source of freshwater but are vulnerable to kinds of pollution to both point and nonpoint sources. The adjacent landscapes that act as an interface between the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem called the ‘riparian zones play a significant role in controlling water and chemical exchange between surrounding land and stream systems (Burt and Pinay 2005). Disturbances in this landscape can lead to deterioration of water quality as they influence the flows of energy and material between the terrestrial and aquatic (Fausch et al 2010) interface. WQI is a single number that expresses water quality by aggregating the measurements of water quality parameters (such as dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate and total hardness). Assessment of water quality could provide us the overall information on the quality of the water bodies and its potential
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call