AN ASSESSMENT OF THE PHYSICOCHEMICALCHARACTERISTICS OF BHAMKA POND, HANUMANA, REWADISTRICT, INDIA

Present work has been conducted on Bhamka pond (a manmade pond) village Malaygawn, Block Hanumana Dist. Rewa (M.P.) India is a constructed 400 years ago with an area of about 10 acres and an average depth of 16 feet, is used by nearly 8000 local people for irrigation, fishing and domestic purposes. The variations in selected physicochemical factors were investigated for two years to determine the water quality of Bhamka pond, for Agricultural, and Drinking and fish production. Four stations were chosen on the pond to reflect the effect of human activities, and lotic habitats. Temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, phosphate, biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total alkalinity, were analyzed monthly between November 2009 and October 2010 using standard methods and procedures. Unacceptable, high levels of assessment parameters were observed in many cases for other Indian fresh water bodies except for turbidity, dissolve oxygen, Alkalinity, pH, nitrogen and phosphate which were found in higher concentration above freshwater limits. During summer season when water crisis takes place, the water shrunk to the deeper place of pond. After monsoon the water is exploited by the local people and surrounding villages for various domestic and rituals practices. The cattle’s, agricultural inputs, washings and other pollution creating activities have enhanced the heavy metals and altered the physicochemical and biological characteristics of the pond water. Therefore there is a need of proper assessment, monitoring and precautionary measures to overcome the pollutant load in the pond water