Sequential extraction and risk assessment of pollutants from one major tributary of the Ganga

The geochemical fractionation of toxic heavy metals Cd, Pb, Cr, Co, Mn, Ni, Cu, Fe and Zn was investigated in 10 different sites of river bed sediments (up, mid and downstream) of Gomti River at Lucknow city. Sequential extraction technique was used to identify the distribution of trace elements binding in different fractions i.e., exchangeable, carbonate, Fe and Mn oxide, organic matter and residual. Heavy metal concentrations were least at upstream and significantly higher in mid and downstream. Fractionation indicated that dominant metals were bound in residual fraction to the bed sediments except for Cd and Pb which were bound in an equivalent fraction. Geo-accumulation index factor reveals that the enrichment of heavy metals in the bio-available fraction is contributed anthropogenically. Hierarchical cluster analysis also shows the metal pollution load in the river. Risk assessment code of Cd and Ni showed very high risk (ranged from 54.41 to 85.56 and 20.57 to 44.92 respectively) followed by Pb (high risk), Zn, Co (medium risk), Cr, Mn, Cu, Fe (low risk) in Gomti River water. Further, concentrations of Cd and Pb at mid Lucknow were 31 and 75%, high enough to pose a substantial risk to the environment.

Evaluation and Quantification of Anionic Surfactant in the Gomti River at Lucknow City, India

In this paper, an attempt has been made to check the level of surfactants particularly in drinking water, which can lead to toxicity in human body system. In this study, a total of 10 locations were selected to enumerate the concentration of surfactants and other physicochemical parameters with metals in the flowing water of river during pre-monsoon 2019. Analyzed result showed that the concentration of surfactants was significantly high and other parameters were also high. It was also found that river at the vicinity of town areas or midstream in the Lucknow city contained high amount of an anionic surfactants due to the nonpoint sources generated by human activities, low concentration was found in upstream, and average concentration was found in downstream, showing natural degradation of surfactants. The values of other parameters were higher than the prescribed limit, which is the serious problem for human being.

Assessment of Water Quality Parameters of Gomti River

The Gomti originates from Gomat Taal (Fulhaar jheel) near Madho Tanda, Pilibhit, India. It extends 960 km through Uttar Pradesh and meets the Ganges near Saidpur, Kaithi, 27 km from Varanasi district. The Earth is facing issues with a large kind of pollutants. Healthy soil, clean water, and air are very much necessary to live properly. In today’s world, Soil, water, and air are not any longer clean and pure however create human health risks. Gomti receives immense quantities of untreated waste, agricultural runoff, brings heaps of pesticides, fertilizer, street washout's transportation oil, asphalt, sediment, and lots of sorts of serious metals from different sources. The study area covers the Gomti River in part of Lucknow city of Uttar Pradesh lies between 80.899893 to 80.968180 N latitude 26.886799 to 26.833321 E longitude. To thoroughly investigate the Physico- Chemical Parameters in the Gomti River of Lucknow city, a total of eight sampling sites were selected between Guaghat upstream and Piparaghat. Samples are collected and analyzed from the proposed locations. The Physico-chemical parameters in the water of river Gomti were assessed to know about the water quality of the river. Parameters like temperature, TSS, TDS, pH, Hardness, Turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Nitrate, Chlorine, Alkalinity, Calcium, Magnesium, BOD, COD were determined. After analysis of the parameters in the laboratory, variation of the parameters at a different location is analyzed. We present this variation through the graphs. Variation of many of the parameters is within limit according to the standards limit but some parameters show the excess pollution in the river. Dissolved Oxygen is zero at three sites and other three sites it is below 3 PPM which shows the pollution in water. It could be due to the high discharge of water from the catchment area, industries, and various drains. We also analyzed the correlation between the parameters. It will help to know the variation in any parameters by changing the value of other parameters.

Assessment and Implementation of Environmental Flows to Restore River Gomti- a Tributary of Ganga, India

Environmental flows in rivers are essential to maintain their natural regime, purify themselves, sustain aquatic life and vegetation, recharge groundwater and support livelihoods. Rivers play their role in people’s cultural and spiritual lives. These functions are possible with a suitable e-flow regime. This paper aims to quantify E-Flows for alluvial river Gomti- a tributary of river Ganga, at upstream and downstream of Lucknow City, at Sultanpur and at Jaunpur. These E-flow sites were chosen on the basis of homozonation study of Gomti Basin. Two methodsHydrological consideration and holistic approach: Building Block Methodology has been employed for assessing the Eflows at four sites falling in middle and lower zone of the Gomti Basin. The two set of E-Flows obtained have been compared with observed flows and virgin flows limits to visualize the implications of implementation plan for normal maintenance year and drought year. Considering Gomti basin water plan for 2045 while trying to meet future sectoral water demand and managing e-flows minimum allocation, the paper argues for e-flows implementation by participatory wetland conservation and improvise agricultural water use efficiency. Summary of investment plan in Gomti Basin to manage demand and supply of water optimally including minimum e-flows in Gomti river. Freed water from agriculture may be diverted into river Gomti from irrigation canal systems, offtaking from Sharda and Ghaghara rivers passing through the Gomti basin. It is found that recommended monthly E-flows for Mehndighat is higher than the observed flows and even more than virgin flow volume except in the month of July. At Fuslauna site E-flows are higher than estimated virgin and observed flow for the months of January to June and for rest of the months July to December, E-flows values are within virgin/observed flow volume limits. Hence to implement Eflows in Gomti river at Fusluana site, additional water from Sharda Sahayak Feeder, through Gomti escape has to be released for lean flow months January to June. Augmentation of flows in Gomti river is recommended by increasing base flows contribution particularly during lean flow months. For Sultanpur and Jaunpur sites required e-flows are almost twice higher than the present day flows in Gomti river. E-flows for Gomti river at Jaunpur is higher than the virgin flow for the month of January to June, estimated at Maighat - a d/s CWC site below Jaunpur. Alternatively, based on MOWR guidelines (as issued in case of Ganga river) considering only hydraulic perspective, minimum E-Flows for Gomti river at Lucknow, Sultanpur, Jaunpur and Maighat has been calculated. E-Flow estimates for Lucknow comes to 15.02 m3 /s, 7.70 m3 /s and 3.41m3 /s during monsoon (June to Sep.), non lean flow month (Oct & Nov.) and lean flow months Dec to May respectively. For Sultanpur site 42.70 m3 /s, 23.73 m3 /s and 10.26m3 /s and for Jaunpur site 44.94 m3 /s, 29.22 m3 /s and 11.28m3 /s has been obtained for the same period. E-flows assessed applying BBM, monthly discharge ranges are for Mehndighat 40-415 m3 /s, Aqueduct site 40-58 m3 /s, Sultanpur 92-950 m3 /s and for Jaunpur site 100-795 m3 /s. During wet months flushing requirement for two weeks period is 310 m3 /s at Lucknow, 1370 m3 /s at Sultanpur and 2450 m3 /s for Jaunpur. This peak flow appears possible at Lucknow due to barrage but difficult to implement at Sultanpur and Jaunpur . Although ever maximum discharge observed had been at Lucknow 916.97m3 /s, at Sultanpur 1373.68 m3 /s at Jaunpur 2991.82 m3 /s and at Maighat 3521.53 m 3 /s but on average and 75% dependability level these flow becomes very low. It is suggested that E-Flows assessed for Gomti river using BBM may be refined on the basis of more research carried out with informed hydrology, biodiversity habitat conditions and parameters of geomorphology.