Assessment of Riparian Zone in relation to ecosystem health of river Narmada

Abstract

Riparian areas are the interface present between the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem. It provides a suitable habitat for the local communities. These areas are ecologically important for maintaining water quality, bank stability, ecological development as well as aesthetic values. In the present study, the ecological health conditions of the River Narmada and its tributaries were assessed by using some physical, biological and chemical parameters. During the study it was observed that ecological conditions of the riparian zone are broadly affected by many anthropogenic activities. The sites observed in the good categories are in the natural condition or some disturbances were seen in near areas whereas the sites dominant with anthropogenic activities such as human influence, mining, soil excavation and agricultural practices were observed under poor categories. The use of multimetric methods shows the degree of disturbance and helpful in taking effective measures to combat ecological health issues. In the end, it could be concluded that the ecological health status of River Narmada and its tributaries Dudhi and Sip is moderate and the main cause for their deterioration is anthropogenic disturbance. These activities not only influenced the riparian habitat conditions but also affect the overall riverine ecosystem that s why it is important to assess the ecological health status of the studied area.