Implications of various parameters for water resource management in noyyal river basin

Abstract

As is known, water plays an integral part of the very existence of entire movable and immovable species on the earth. Because of prolonged exploitation of human activities, the surface and ground water sources have been ruthlessly contaminated and of late, the degree of contamination is so high, the usability of water sources is even questionable. As an extension to this effect, rapid industrialization and urbanization in Coimbatore region, Tamil Nadu, India have culminated a significant impact on the quality of surface water and ground water in Noyyal River Basin (NRB) and at present both the ground and surface water in NRB are far beyond exploitable. More than 32 Canals and 24 Anaicuts are draining out water from Coimbatore city into the Noyyal river basin and of them; many streams carry the effluents from dyeing, oil and textile industries. Emanation of untreated and uncontrolled toxic liquid wastes from varieties of industries and also municipal sewages have badly polluted the Noyyal river basin area of 3510 Sq.km, as evidenced from documented literatures. Even though few studies have been carried out in the recent past on the quality of surface and ground water sources in NRB, there is no comprehensive study available on the surface and ground water qualities of NRB, especially in pre and post monsoon period. Considering the severity of surface and ground water qualities of NRB, a detailed investigation has been carried out in this research to evaluate the physiochemical and hydrogeochemical characteristics of surface and ground water both in pre and post monsoon periods so as to critically analyse the level of contamination of surface and ground water sources in the study area newline newline newline newline