EFFECT OF DIFFERENT LAND USES ON WATER QUALITY OF KANDAGHAT BLOCK OF SOLAN DISTRICT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH
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Date
2012
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present investigations entitled Effect of different land uses on water quality of Kandaghat block
of Solan district of Himachal Pradesh was conducted during 2011-2012 in the Department of Environmental
Science, Dr. Y.S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan. Water samples were collected
from surface as well as ground water under different land uses (agriculture, forest and urban) during different
seasons (rainy, winter and summer) from Kandaghat block whereas aquatic insects were collected from
surface water. The maximum pH (7.69), EC (266.39 μS/cm), TDS (297.70 mg/l), Ca (66.08 mg/l),
Temperature (19.25oC), BOD (1.45 mg/l) and COD (18.33 mg/l ) of surface water was recorded under urban
land use, whereas Mg (12.90 mg/l), Cl (3.05 mg/l) and NO3 (4.19 mg/l) were maximum under agriculture land
use. Maximum pH (7.79), Temperature (22.58oC), BOD (1.71 mg/l), COD (17.41 mg/l), Ca (64.61mg/l), Mg
(13.87 mg/l) and Cl (3.39 mg/l) was recorded during summer season, whereas EC (264.75 μS/cm), TDS
(297.58 mg/l) and NO3 (3.91 mg/l) were maximum during rainy season. Similarly, maximum pH (7.58), EC
(264.74 μS/cm), Temperature (17.33oC), TDS (296.56 mg/l), BOD (0.75 mg/l), COD (11.11mg/l), Ca (64.51
mg/l) and Mg (11.69 mg/l) of ground water was recorded under urban land use whereas Cl (3.19 mg/l) and
NO3 (3.50 mg/l) were maximum under agriculture land use. Maximum pH (7.64), Temperature (17.42oC),
BOD (0.69 mg/l), COD (11.08 mg/l), Ca (64.61 mg/l), Mg (11.64 mg/l) and Cl (4.06 mg/l) of ground water
was recorded during summer season, whereas EC (261.06 μS/cm), TDS (290.28 mg/l) and NO3 (3.37 mg/l)
were maximum during rainy season. The colour of surface as well as underground water varied from
colourless to light brown and colourless to light yellow, respectively. The odour of surface water varied
between odourless to septic whereas ground water was odour free. The maximum As (0.39 ppb), Cd (0.07
ppb), Pb (0.66 ppb), Fe (0.03 ppb) and Zn (0.09 ppb) of surface water was recorded under urban land use.
Maximum As (0.25 ppb), Cd (0.06 ppb), Pb (0.59 ppb) and Fe (0.03 ppb) of surface water was recorded
during summer season whereas Zn (0.06 ppb) was recorded during rainy season. In ground water, maximum
Cd (0.06 ppb), Pb (0.02 ppb) and Fe (0.03 ppb) was recorded under urban land use, whereas As (0.15 ppb), Pb
(0.02 ppb) and Zn (0.15 ppb) was recorded under agriculture land use. Maximum Cd (0.06 ppb) and Fe (0.03
ppb) of ground water was recorded during summer season, whereas As (0.06 ppb), Pb (0.02 ppb) and Zn (0.15
ppb) were maximum during rainy season. Water quality index of surface water was minimum (19.89) under
forest land use and maximum under urban land use (25.12). Maximum water quality index (27.62) was
recorded during summer season and minimum (18.77) during winter season. The water quality index of
ground water was minimum under forest land use (9.90) and maximum under urban land use (14.71). Overall
EPT biotic index was 3.55. EPT index ranged from 40 to 61 under different land uses and 18 to 106 during
different seasons. Overall Family biotic index of surface water was 3.07. Simpson’s biodiversity index ranged
from 0.00 to 0.11 under different land uses and 0.00 to 0.02 during different seasons. The water quality of
Kandaghat block was rated as good to excellent.