Water Quality Assessment of Valapattanam River Basin in Kerala, India, using Macro-Invertebrates as Biological Indicators

ABSTRACT

Biomonitoring is a valuable assessment tool that is receiving increased use in water quality monitoring programs of all types. The study was to identify the freshwater Benthic Macro-invertebrates and to find out the biological water quality using BWQC developed by Central Pollution Control Board (New Delhi) in Valapattanam River, Kerala originating from Brahmagiri of Western Ghats. A total of 408 individuals belonging to 20 genera and 14 families were collected from the five stations of the River Valapattanam during pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon periods. Chironomus sps a pollution tolerant species were present in most of the stations showing high degree of organic pollution. The downstream stations showed moderate pollution during pre and post monsoon seasons and slight improvement during monsoon. The water quality of the Valapattanam River was deteriorated by sewage effluents and agricultural activities, diminishing the abundance of aquatic insects and macro-invertebrates.

Keywords:

Benthic Macro-invertebrates, Biological indicators, Biological monitoring, Biological Water Quality Criteria (BWQC), Pollution.