WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF BALAD TRIBUTARY OF SARSA RIVER IN HIMACHAL PRADESH
Loading...
Date
2023-10-25
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
UHF,NAUNI
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The study entitled "Water Quality Assessment of Balad tributary of Sarsa river in Himachal Pradesh" was conducted in the Department of Environmental Science, College of Forestry, Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni- 173230, Solan, Himachal Pradesh with objective to assess the water quality of Balad seasonal stream of Baddi industrial area during the year 2022- 2023. The water samples were collected during pre-monsoon, monsoon and post monsoon season by dividing stream along industrial belt in seven sections upto Sirsa river confluence. Water quality parameters viz. pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, BOD, COD, sulphate, nitrate, phosphate and heavy metals were determined and water quality index was worked out. pH of the tributary was in the range 7.65 to 8.38 and decreased from control site to downstream confluence site. Heavy metals concentration was increased from upstream site 1 to the Sarsa confluence site 7. The concentration of Fe, As, Cr and Pb were highest at site 7, while highest Cu was observed at site 4. Highest electrical conductivity (0.45 dS m-1), turbidity (195.14 NTU), arsenic (9.61 μg L-1) and iron (49.73 μg L-1) were observed in pre monsoon season whereas, pH (8.21), copper (71.86μg L-1), chromium (14.95 μg L-1) in monsoon season and COD (142.71 mg L-1) in pre-monsoon season. The lowest WQI of Balad Tributary was observed in control site1 depicting excellent quality of water and followed the trend: Site 1 (7.12) < Site 2 (34.87) < Site 6 (83.40) < Site3 (94.82) < Site 5 (95.92) <Site 4 (136.02) < Site 7 (262.39). Industrial and mining activities resulted in decline in overall water quality of Balad tributary from upstream control site to the downstream confluence point. Therefore, there is a need to safeguard the quality of Balad tributary from non-point release of pollutants near industrial sprawls and to regulate the mining to check its further deteriorat