Water Quality Assessment of Streams of Doon Valley Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Abstract

Water quality of any stream depends on a variety of physico-chemical parameters. The present study was conducted to assess the water quality of various streams in Eastern and Western Doon. It was carried out on two river systems comprising of five main rivers—Baldi, Song, Suswa, Tons and Asan. Sampling was done regularly at 20 sampling stations established along these rivers. 15 physical and chemical parameters like depth, width, water velocity, air temperature, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, pH, turbidity, alkalinity, hardness, BOD, nitrate, phosphate and total dissolved solids were analyzed. The study reveals that the magnitude of different parameters is related to the climatic conditions, seasons and river discharge. The interplay of these parameters determines the water quality of the streams. The fluctuation pattern all through 3 different seasons reflected an increment pattern from summer to rainy in the parameters like depth, width, water velocity, CO2, turbidity and TDS. The declining trend in the values of the aforesaid parameters was noticed beyond rainy months. From rainy to winters, an increment in values was noticed in DO, pH, hardness, alkalinity, BOD, nitrate and phosphate. The parameters which showed increment in values from winters to summers include AT, WT, CO2. Width, depth and WV have been the chief physical factors with wide range of variations. BOD, Hardness, NO3−, TDS, DO and CO2 values seemed more important from the quality of water chemistry point of view. Seasonal variation in physical and chemical parameters have also been observed.