Fateh Sagar Lake - Water Quality Issues

Water Quality Issues

Some of the water quality parameters reported relate to: ·pH value which varies from a maximum of 8.4 on the surface to a minimum of 7.8 at the bottom and with minimum value of 7.9 at 5 m depth ·DO value varies from a maximum of 9.4 on the surface and minimum of 1.2 at the bottom, at 5 m depth the lowest value being 3.3. ·Maximum Nitrogen Concentration (NO3-N ) of 0.941 at 1 m below the surface and 0.523 at the bottom of the lake have been reported. ·The lake water is reported to be Polymictic and there is lack of true thermocline. Gradient is recorded to be poor which results in frequent mixing, as experienced in many tropical lakes. ·The lake water temperature varies from a minimum of 19 °C. in January to 29.4 °C. in June at the surface and correspondingly 16.8 °C. and 28.5 °C.at the bottom of the lake.

Eutrophication has occurred in the lake due to algal bloom; the dominant species causing this are algae: Microcystis sp and submerged macrophytes. Urbanization around the lake has also degraded water quality, which is a risk to public health of the people who are dependent on the lake for their water supply requirements. Siltation has caused reduction of storage capacity. Increase in nutrient level is also taking place on account of leaching from agricultural activity in the marginal agricultural lands around the lake periphery. These are some of the reasons attributed for lake degradation.The Udaipur city, set around the lakes, with its numerous hotels catering to the large influx of tourists and a large number of residential complexes on the slopes of the lake, also add pollutants to the lake.