SEASONAL ASSESSMENT OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF WATER IN RIVER JHELUM OF KASHMIR

Abstract

River Jhelum is the sole drainage system of Kashmir, being connected to all the water bodies of the valley directly or indirectly. As a consequence of numerous anthropogenic activities in its catchment spread over the whole of the valley, the river receives large quantities of pollutants throughout its course. In order to have an insight into the present status of the water body, water samples were collected at different sites along the river from Verinag to Shadipora (Sumbal) from October 2011 to August 2012 on monthly basis for the assessment of different physico-chemical parameters. Most of the parameters studied showed increasing trend with the increase in distance from source indicating the deterioration of water quality in close relation to the anthropogenic activities in the catchment area. The data procured during the study are discussed in detail in the present communication.