Soil and water characteristics of Nanak Sagar reservoir, Tarai region of Uttarakhand, India

Abstract

The present study was directed to assess the Nanak Sagar reservoir's soil and water characteristics, located in the Tarai region of Uttarakhand. Monthly samplings were conducted at three selected sites during August 2016 to March 2017. The catchment area of Nanak Sagar reservoir is mainly silty and loamy. During the study period, the range of variation in water temperature, transparency, electrical conductivity and TDS was recorded as 16.9 to 340 C, 67.9 to 155.5 cm, 118 to 336 µScm-1 and 91.7 to 156 mg L-1, respectively. The highest values of temperature, transparency, electrical conductivity and TDS were found in the months of September, November, August and August, while the lowest values were recorded in January, August, September and October respectively. Chemical parameters like pH, dissolved oxygen, free CO2, Alkalinity, Phosphate and Nitrate were found to vary from 7 to 8.7, 3.2 to 9.6 mg L-1, 0 to 6 mg L- 1, 60 to 140 mg L-1, 0.043 to 0.2 mg L-1 and 0.224 to 0.64 mg L-1 respectively. The highest and lowest values of pH, dissolved oxygen, free CO2, total Alkalinity, Phosphate and Nitrate were recorded in the month of January, February, August, February, September while lowest values were recorded in the month of August, September, March, August and March respectively. The reservoir's water quality is within normal condition so fish production from the reservoir could be increased.