Water Quality Surveillance of Panchana Dam Irrigation Project, Karauli, Rajasthan

Water chemistry provides precious parameters to evaluate the environmental impact assessment of irrigation projects. The Panchana Dam is situated 12 km north to Karauli in the eastern part of Rajasthan. Panchana Dam site falls under the eastern gravelly/ rocky plateau with outliers of Aravallis, and the total catchment area is about 621.60 sq. km and the command area is about 10606 ha. The climate of Panchana Dam area is almost semi-arid and comparatively milder with distinct winter, summer and rainy seasons. The summer season is from the middle of March to June, being extreme in the month of June. The present study revealed that the water has pH (7.6-8.3), electrical conductivity (260-300 μmhos), total dissolve solids (169-195 mg/L), phosphate (0.121- 1.939 mg/L), total alkalinity (410-650 mg/L), carbonate alkalinity (20-100 mg/L), bicarbonate alkalinity (390-610 mg/L), total hardness (92-128 mg/L), calcium hardness (22.44-33.67 mg/L), magnesium hardness (69.56-90.33 mg/L), chloride (24.14 -28.4 mg/L), and acidity (2.0-4.0 mg/L). Water in Panchana Dam irrigation project (PIP) is influenced by hydrology and related factors, which cause variations in nutrients present in a particular time. PIP as wetland plays an important role to develop the favourable microclimatic conditions for biodiversity as a whole. The physico-chemical analysis of water samples from this area showed that the water is within the safe limits of drinking water quality. Seasonal variations in water quality are due to intrinsic and extrinsic factors of the aquatic system.