Appraisal of water quality and ecological sensitivity with reference to riverfront development along the River Gomti, India

The conflict between the vitality of natural ecosystem versus artificially developed systems has existed since decades. The ecological sensitivity and socio-economic aspects associated with riverfront development along rivers have attracted the attention of environmentalists and ecologists across the globe. The present study evaluates the impacts of channelization and riverfront development on the water quality of river Gomti through Water Pollution Index (WPI) and other statistical tools. Of the total studied sites, 75% were found to be in the ‘highly polluted’ category even after the development of riverfront. An approximate increase of 274.5% and 171.76% was witnessed in the WPI values at the midstream sites of Kudiaghat and Daliganj, respectively. This increase in the WPI values clearly stated the deteriorated water quality of river Gomti after the channelization. The major issue of domestic sewage discharge with partial or no treatment into the river seems to be unresolved even after a considerable period of riverfront development. This study can provide a reference database toward development of such projects across the globe.

Analysis of water pollution index around gold mining in the downstream of Krueng Kluet sub-watershed

Water is one of the primary needs of every living creature. With the increase in population, the need for water continues to increase. The declining water quality caused by human activities is one of the world’s concerns. This study examines river water quality status in the gold mining area in the downstream of Krueng Kluet sub-watershed. The method used to determine the level of river water pollution is based on the Decree of Minister of Environment Number 115 the Year 2003, which uses class 1 water quality standards according to Government Regulation of The Republic of Indonesia Number 82 the Year. The results show that river water in the study area is in the category that is not polluted or fulfills water quality standards for drinking water and daily needs.

Monitoring the Landscape Pattern and Characteristics of Non-Point Source Pollution in a Mountainous River Basin

This study aimed to assess the relationship between the landscape patterns and non-point source (NPS) pollution distribution in Qixia County, China. The sub-basin classification was conducted based on a digital elevation model and Landsat8 satellite images. Water samples were collected from each sub-basin, andtheir water quality during the wet and dry seasons was estimated. The correlation between the landscape indices and water pollution indicators was determined by Pearson analysis. The location-weighted landscape contrast index (LWLCI) was calculated based on the “source-sink” theory. Qixia was further divided into five sections based on the LWLCI score to illustrate the potential risk of NPS pollution. The results showed that the water quality in Qixia County was generally good. Cultivated land, orchards, construction areas, and unused land were positively correlated with the water pollution index and weredesignated as the “source” landscape categories, while forests, grasslands, and water bodies, which were negatively correlated with water pollution, were the “sink” landscapes; the LWCI was high in 36.94% of the study area. In these areas, measures such as increasing vegetation buffer zones are necessary to decrease the sediment and nutrient loads carried by precipitation.

Variation of Aulacoseira Granulata As An Eco-Pollution Indicator In Sub-Tropical Large River Ganga In India: A Multivariate Analytical Approach

Aulacoseira granulata (Ehrenberg) Simonsen 1979 is one of the major ecological indicators of the water quality of lotic as well as lentic aquatic ecosystems. To assess major environmental factors contributor to A.granulata bloom in the riverine system, a study was carried out from 2018 to 2019 comprising four different seasons at 11 sampling sites of river Ganga in the middle and lower stretch of river Ganga comprising freshwater and estuarine zones. For the analysis, different univariate, as well as multivariate analytical tools such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Water pollution Index (WPI), were used. In the finding, it was observed that the average abundance of Aulacoseira granulata was found maximum during the winter season. Among all the studied sites, the maximum average abundance was at Balagarh (71576 cell l-1) and minimum at Diamond Harbour (68 cell l-1). The environmental factors such as dissolved oxygen, depth, and altitude showed a positive and water temperature negatively influencing the growth rate of A. granulate. WPI showed a significantly negative correlation with cell length. Finally, the study concludes that the blooming of Aulacoseira granulata is highly influenced by varied environmental conditions along the river Ganga suggesting possible eutrophication. Therefore, a certain minimum flow and depth especially during the lean season have to be maintained for the sustenance of planktonic biota in the river Ganga.

Levels, Inventory, and Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Wetland Ecosystem, Northeast China: Implications for Snow Cover Monitoring

Snow cover is a unique environmental medium in cold regions that can cause potential risks to the ecological environment, due to the release of pollutants that are stored in it. In this study, the Qixing River wetland, located in the Sanjiang Plain of China, was taken as the target research area. Heavy metals in snow cover, including Cu, Ni, Cr, Cd, Pb, and Zn were measured at 19 sampling sites. The results showed that the average concentrations of heavy metals were: Zn (103.46 ± 39.16) > Pb (13.08 ± 4.99) > Cr (11.97 ± 2.82) > Ni (9.55 ± 4.96) > Cu (6.19 ± 1.79) > Cd (0.55 ± 0.25) μg·L−1. Cr and Zn were between Class I and Class II in the “Environmental Quality Standards for Surface Water” of China (GB3838-2002). Pb in snow exceeded the upper limit of Class II, and was significantly higher than concentrations measured in water samples from the Qixing River wetland (p < 0.05), indicating that atmospheric deposition during winter was the major source of Pb. The water pollution index (WPI) indicated that 61.0% of samples could be considered of “clean” status, while the contribution of Zn, Pb, and Cr to WPI were 33.3%, 21.0%, and 19.3%, respectively. A preliminary evaluation of heavy metal inventory in snow cover showed that the residue level of Zn was the highest (2313.57 ± 1194.67 μg·m−2), while Cd was the lowest (13.91 ± 10.45 μg·m−2). The areas with high residues of heavy metals were all located near the buffer zone of the wetland (except for Zn), where snow depth tended to be greatest. Exposure analysis indicated that the risks to winter resident birds from snow ingestion was minimal, but it should be noted that the exposure risk was higher in birds with lower bodyweights. This study provides important information and scientific knowledge on the pollution characteristics and residue inventory of heavy metals in wetland ecosystems, while the results can also provide a monitoring method, reflecting atmospheric environmental quality at a local or regional scale.

ANALYSIS OF WATER QUALITY STATUS USING METHOD OF WATER POLLUTION INDEX: A CASE STUDY ON THE DENDENG RIVER

The Dendeng River is vital for economic sustainability and viability for the community, industry and commerce around the flood plain of the river as well as raw water sources of the Kupang PDAM. However, increased domestic and industrial waste disposal along the river has caused severe pollution. One way to maintain the quality of the river is by continuously monitoring the pollutants and applying technology control as well as controlling strategy. The aim of the research mainly is to establish the water quality status of Dendeng River by water pollution Index method based on parameter physics and chemistry, i.e. pH, DO, COD, BOD, TSS, TDS, NH3-N, NO2-N, NO3-N, and PO4-P. The research was carried out based on field survey and sample examined in situ and in laboratory. The removal of water sample from Dendeng River conducted based on composite sampling as many as six point locations of Dendeng River as representative of upstream up to downstream zone. The quality status of Dendeng River is in good condition to lightly polluted with a pollution index value of 0.6 to 1.52. Value of the DO, BOD, COD, and phosphate content were higher than the allowable class 1 standard. The Water Quality Index value of Dendeng River was 86.67, which is included in the good water quality class.

Water pollution index of high Andean micro-basin of the Chumbao River, Andahuaylas, Peru

During its journey, the river water suffers natural or anthropic contamination, deteriorating its quality. This impact can be qualified by determining the pollution Indexes (IPO). The work aimed to evaluate the spatial and temporal variation of the IPOs in the water of the high Andean micro-basin of the Chumbao River. The study included the section from 13°46'38.4” S, 73°15'32.3” W at 4079 m of altitude up to 13°35'26.4” S, 73°27'00.8” W at 2572 m of altitude. Physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters of the water were determined in 8 points along the river. These were grouped to calculate the IPO by mineralization (IPOMI), organic matter (IPOMO), suspended solids (IPOSUS), and trophic (IPOTRO) in the dry and rainy seasons. The indexes were categorized from 0.0 (not polluted) to 1.0 (highly polluted). The data were collected in triplicate and valuated through ANOVA and Tukey's test. It was found that IPOSUS, IPOMI, and IPOMO. The points near the head of the micro-basin reported no and low pollution; besides, they increased considerably in urban areas reaching highly polluted levels. In contrast, IPOTRO reported a eutrophic state, and that contamination levels were higher in the dry season. The waters of the Chumbao River above 2900 m of altitude and close to the head of the micro-basin do not show contamination, but in the urban area the index of pollution is high.