Journal of Fisheries and Life Sciences

Author(s): Kalpana Srivastava, Vijay Kumar, Venkatesh R Thakur, Sandeep Mishra, Susheel Kumar, D. N. Jha and R. S. Srivastava

Abstract: It is important to monitor tributaries of river Ganga for the sustainable development, as each tributary has its own water quality and productivity. For the present investigation the samples were taken from the River Ramganga, Kali, Karmnasa, Yamuna, Ghagra and Gomti, which are important tributaries of the river Ganga in middle stretch. Their water quality parameters like Temperature, pH, DO, BOD, Alkalinity, Specific conductivity, TDS, Hardness, Nutrients, Gross and Net productivity and Chloride were studied during winter and summer of 2017. Total dissolved solids carried by these tributaries were 275 ppm-Ramganga, 143 ppm -Ghagra, 282 ppm -Kali, 186 ppm -Karmnasa, 271 ppm -Gomti- and 294 ppm-Yamuna and Chloride was 54 ppm-Ramganga,38.3 ppm -Ghagra, 70ppm-Kali,48 ppm- Karmnasa, 55.8 ppm – Gomti, and-83.7 ppm Yamuna. Dissolved oxygen ranged from 7.6 to 11.2 ppm, and BOD ranged from 0.8 to 3.4ppm (Yamuna and Kali).Water temp. ranged from 15-21.8 (winter) and 30-36.2 (summer).Specific conductivity ranged from 230 ppm (Ghagra) to 763 (Yamuna). Plankton analysis revealed dominance of Bacillariophyceae in Ramganga, Ghagra, Karmnasa, Chlorophyceae in Gomti and Myxophyceae in Yamuna and Kali. Other planktonic groups were Euglenophyceae, Protozoa, Rotifera and Crustacea. Bacillariophyceae ranged from 21% (Ghagra) to 69.5 %( Karmnasa), Chlorophyceae from 6 (Karmnasa) to 57.8 (Gomti). Reduction in Bacillariophyceae and increase in Myxophyceae was remarkable feature in the river Yamuna as compared to previous studies. Average Myxophyceae contribution was recorded as, 40 % in Kali, 44% in Yamuna, 11 % In Ramganga, 15% in Karmnasa, 22% in Ghagra and 20% in Gomti Suggesting that all the rivers are passing through anthropogenic and environmental stress. Palmer pollution index was also higher for Yamuna and Kali rivers.