Human interference is causing deterioration in the water quality at Ramsar site Deepor Beel in India, according to a new paper published in CIWEM’s Water and Environment Journal.
The study investigated the impacts of rapid urbanisation on the water quality of the Deepor Beel, a natural, freshwater wetland in India that harbours a large number of migratory aquatic birds and provides livelihoods to local people through fishing and surrounding flora.
The deterioration in the water quality is the cumulative result of human interference through encroachment, extensive fishing, agriculture, habitat destruction, hunting and pollution from pesticides and fertilisers. The Beel has lost much of its importance as a source of income for the people living on the banks as the fish population has declined rapidly. This is the result of the large organic load introduced by municipal wastes.
The water of the Beel is overburdened with inorganic and organic pollutants, beyond permissible limits and guideline values. Although people seldom use the wetland water for drinking, a large number of wild animals, domestic cattle and poultry are dependent on it for their water needs, so some pollutants are entering the human food chain.
Although wetlands are best known for their function as habitat for birds, fish and other wildlife, their less well known hydrological and water quality functions include reducing the severity of flooding and erosion by modifying the flow of water and improving water quality by filtering out contaminants. The study highlights the need for adopting appropriate management plans for restoring the wetland to its pristine state.
The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, CIWEM, is an independent professional body and a registered charity, advancing the science and practice of water and environmental management for a clean, green and sustainable world. www.ciwem.org
“Impact of urbanization on the quality of water in a natural reservoir: a case study with the Deepor Beel in Guwahati City, India” was written by Krishna G. Bhattacharyya and Nibedita Kapil from the Department of Chemistry, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, India.
Source: CIWEM
