Community Features of Benthic Macroinvertebrates and Bioassessment of the Stretch of Bhagirathi River Impacted by Maneri Bhali Stage I Hydroelectric Project.

SANDEEP KUMAR, Prakash Nautiyal

Abstract


Benthic macroinvertebrate community was studied in the discharged starved stations (S2 and S3) in the stretch of Bhagirathi River impacted by Maneri Bhalli stage I in comparison to the upstream station (S1) having natural flow regime. Mean WT was found to be increased while CV and DO were decreased from S1 to S3. The benthic density was found to be significantly decreased in the downstream station.  Single benthic assemblage found at S1 indicated the stable ecosystem while varying type of assemblages at S2 and S3 depicted the perturbed ecosystem. Biological Monitoring Working Party Score indicated moderately impacted to polluted and polluted to heavily polluted water quality at S2 and S3 respectively as compared to moderate water quality at S1. LIFE score indicated moderate to fast-flow conditions at S1, slow to moderate at S2 and varying type of flow conditions at S3 during lean season. CCA separated three station having different characteristic taxa associated to different environmental variables. Current velocity, pH and dissolved oxygen explained maximum of the variance in assemblage in CCA plot. These results depict the disturbed ecological state of the benthic macroinvertebrate community and polluted water quality at S2 and S3 in the stretch impacted by Maneri stage I.  Thus, we recommend the authorities to take urgent measures to improve the ecological health and integrity of the stretch devoid of natural hydrological regime.


Keywords


Bhagirathi, HEP, Macroinvertebrate, BMWP, LIFE, CCA

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