Seasonal physico-chemical characterization of water of sacred lake Nachiketa Tal, Garhwal Himalaya

Abstract The management of natural surface water resources needs the understanding of water quality. The present study on the physico-chemical parameters of water quality of sacred lake Nachiketa Tal of Garhwal Himalaya was undertaken. During the period from May 2015 to April 2016 at four sampling stations, seasonal variations in air temperature, water temperature, electrical conductivity, turbidity, salinity, TDS, dissolved oxygen, free CO2, hardness, alkalinity, nitrates, phosphates, chlorides, calcium and magnesium were recorded. The statistical correlation and cluster analysis between the various physico-chemical parameters of Nachiketa Tal were computed. The results of this study revealed that the concentration of the nutrients, turbidity, electrical conductivity, TDS increased with a decreasing trend of dissolved oxygen in all the sampling stations during the monsoon season. Thus, degradation in the water quality of the lake was resulted in the monsoon season