Physico-Chemical Parameters of Godavari River Waters and The Freshwater Pulmonate I. exustus

Book excerpt: Water as extraordinary substance, exists in three states as gases, liquid proved important for survivability of life (Simpiet al., 2011). Water quality has direct relation with aquatic productivity (Shrestha and Kazama, 2003). Riverine system comprises both main course and tributaries, carrying the one-way flow of sediment with load of dissolved matter and particulate phases coming from natural and anthropogenic sources (Rani et al. 2011). River also serves for domestic, industrial and agricultural disposal, transportation, getting food resources and for recreational activities (Dhote and Dixit, 2011). Dam and reservoir construction in river courses are booming all over the world for hydropower generation, flood control, irrigation, and water supply.Pollution of a river first affects its chemical quality and then systematically destroys the community disrupting the delicate food web. Diverse uses of the rivers are seriously impaired due to pollution and even the polluters like industry suffer due to increased pollution of the rivers. River pollution has several dimensions and effective monitoring and control of river pollution requires the expertise from various disciplines. Pollution of river is a global problem. In India it is reported that about 70% of the available water is polluted. The chief source of pollution is identified as sewage constituting 84 to 92 percent of the waste water. Industrial waste water comprised 8 to 16 percent. The indiscriminate and large-scale deforestation and over grazing in the watershed areas of river basins have caused soil erosion resulting in considerable silting of dams and shrinkage of river flows. This leads to the flooding of the rivers at the time of excessive rains. The disposal of waste leads to contamination of river and lakes chronically affecting the flora and fauna. According to surveys carried out on selected stretches of important rivers, it has been found that most of the rivers are grossly polluted. The domestic sewage discharged from a population of about 2 million gives rise to numerous water-borne diseases like typhoid, cholera, dysentery, poliomyelitis and cysticercosis, thereby affecting the human health and deterioration of the water quality.