Assessment of surface water quality in relation to water quality index of tropical lentic environment, Central Gujarat, India

The present study involved the determination of surface water quality index of tropical sacred wetland . Dakor Pilgrimage Wetland (DPW), Central Gujarat, India. The main aim of the study was to evaluate various water quality parameters to draw-out the water quality index for an assessment of a tropical aquatic body. The monthly values of pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total alkalinity (TA), Total Hardness (TH), Calcium Hardness (Ca), Magnesium Hardness (Mg), Chloride, Sulphate, Phosphate, Sodium, and Potassium, were analyzed to compute water quality index (WQI). The results manifest that WQI at site 1 (D1) was maximum (161.74), followed by D2 (159.96), and minimum at site 3 (D3) (157.19). The values clearly depicts that quality of water is completely unfit for human consumption unless and until strict and mandatory steps are taken to rejuvenate it. The suggestive measures to improve the overall health of an aquatic body is also discussed herewith alongwith conservation measures and management strategies.