A STUDY ON PYSICO- CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOIL IN VAIGAI RESERVOIR, TAMILNADU, INDIA

The quality and yield of water resources are greatly influenced by factors such as industrialization, urbanization and modern agriculture. The population growth pose great challenges to the proper management, protection and exploitation of the water resources. The nutrients of the soil is being altered by the use of fertilisers in the catchment area of vaigai reservoir and by agricultural waste inflow.This study deals with the change in physico chemical properties of the soil in the upstream side of vaigai reservoir.The physic chemical properties which were studied include moisture content, specific gravity, plasticity, pH, electrical conductivity etc. The nutrients in the soilwhich were analysed include nitrates, phosphates and potassium. The results demonstrated that the agricultural management impacts will cause variations inthe soil nutrients depending on climatic conditions and the erosion in the upstream side may also lead to changes in the characteristic properties of the soil.