SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONS IN PHYSICO - CHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF RIVER SIND IN KASHMIR HIMALAYAS

A study was conducted to study the seasonal fluctuation in physico-chemical parameters of river Sind in Kashmir Himalayas to determine the current status of river. Water samples were collected seasonally for a period of one year from three different stations of river situated at different altitudes and were examined following the standard methods of APHA (2004). The study revealed that pH of water varied from 7.4 to 8.9 with an average value of 7.95 ± 0.47, depicting alkaline nature of water.Electrical conductivity varied from 238 μS cm^−1 to 177 μS cm^−1with a mean value of 206.75 ± 18.41, depicting oligotrophic nature of water body.Total hardness varied from 75 mg/l to 133 mg/l with a mean value of 100.33 ± 15.59, depicting hard water nature of river. DO content varied from 8 mg/l to 13 mg/l with a mean value of 10.37 ±1.82. FCO₂content varied from 3 mg/l to 17.3 mg/l with a mean value of 9.08 ± 5.05. Total alkalinity varied from 73 mg/l to 183 mg/l with a mean value of 128.16 ± 28.74. Chloride content varied from 11 mg/l to 31 mg/l with a mean value of 22.58 ± 5.10, depicting organically polluted water. Nitrate content varied from 118μg/l to 234μg/l with a mean value of 168 μg/l ± 36.34. Total Phosphorous content varied from 43μg/l to 157μg/l with a mean value of 85.5 μg/l ± 31.1. The study further revealed that river Sind is under constant anthropogenic pressure, which is major responsible factor of current ecology of river.