ISSN 2167-0447
International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 3 (1), pp. 363-372, January 2013 © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Natural and anthropogenic determinants of water quality changes in a small tropical river basin, SW India
Maya K., Remya S. I., Baburaj B., Baijulal B., Lekshmi I., Nisha U. R., Sangeetha J. and Padmalal D.*
Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram - 695031, India.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: drdpadmalal@gmail.com
Received 21 July, 2012; Accepted 02 January, 2013
Abstract
Water quality of surface and subsurface sources of densely populated regions of the world has been undergoing marked changes over the past few decades consequent to rapid economic development and /or urbanisation. Lack of adequate base-line data on the status of water quality is a major setback challenging wise use and management of these life sustaining systems. The situation is rather alarming in the small rivers of many tropical countries as these systems are more responsive to economic developments. In the present investigation, an attempt has been made to examine the chemical quality of the various water sources in a small river basin in the south western coast of India- the Neyyar River Basin (NRB) in Kerala State- as an example. The region including the basin area of Neyyar is undergoing fast economic development since early 1970’s. A total of 17 chemical parameters (pH, EC, DO, alkalinity, chloride, sulphate, Ca, Mg, Na, K, total hardness, NO2-N, NO3-N, P-inorg, SiO2, TSS and TDS) has been studied in the different water sources such as river (Reservoir, Mainstream and Estuary), irrigation canals (Left and Right Bank Canals), wells and springs of the NRB during summer season, which is the drinking water deficit period in the region. The study reveals that except pH and DO of a few samples, all the other water quality parameters are well within the water quality standards set by various national and international agencies. A comparative evaluation of the hydrochemical parameters of NRB with that of the other important minor and major rivers shows that except chloride, all the other parameters are recorded in lower concentrations in NRB as well as the other small mountainous rivers in the south-western coast of India.
Key words: Surface and subsurface water sources, water quality, small catchment rivers, South-western coast of India.