The J&K Lake Conservation and Management Authority has a well-established water testing laboratory working under the aegis of Research & Monitoring Division. The samples collected from different spots and analysed for various parameters. The biological and microbiological parameters are also being monitored regularly in addition to macrophytic studies. The number of samples collected on monthly basis from different spots are as per the following schedule:
|
Area |
No. of sampling spots |
No. of samples |
|
Open water expanse |
20 |
24 |
|
Back water area |
5 |
5 |
|
Floating garden area |
1 |
1 |
|
Houseboat area |
1 |
1 |
|
Inflow channels |
4 |
4 |
|
Exit channels |
3 |
3 |
|
Bloom Hit area |
2 |
4 |
The data thus generated is then compiled on yearly basis so that its interpretation can be applied to the process of lake conservation from time to time.
Water Quality in Dal lake:
Due to increase in human settlements in the catchment areas there is a ecological stress which often gets reflected in the water quality of lake. However, due to consistent conservation measures adopted from time to time the deterioration has been arrested to a large extent.
Various measures adopted by J&K LCMA for the conservation of Dal lake:
- Deweeding
- Dredging
- Solid Waste Management
- Diversion of liquid waste to Sewage Treatment Plants
- Catchment Area restoration works
- Commissioning of settling basin
The latest data for the year 2019-20 (September to August) reproduced below reveal that the open water expanse where the influence of human settlement is minimum, the water quality is to a large extent good.
|
Parameters |
Unit |
Central Site Hazratbal basin |
Central Site Nishat basin |
Central site Nigeen basin |
Opposite Hotel Nun Kun |
||||
|
Surface |
Bottom |
Surface |
Bottom |
Surface |
Bottom |
||||
|
Air Temp. |
oC |
7.1-31.5 |
4.9-33.9 |
3.6-30.0 |
5.6-30.0 |
||||
|
Water Temp. |
oC |
6.6-28.0 |
5.5-25.2 |
5.1-27.5 |
5.0-25.1 |
5.5-31.0
|
5.8-28.0
|
6.2-27.0 |
|
|
Depth |
m |
2.5-3.2 |
2.1-3.3 |
5.5-6.1 |
2.3-3.0 |
||||
|
Transparency |
m |
0.9-2.0 |
0.6-1.8 |
0.5-1.5 |
0.7-1.8 |
||||
|
pH |
|
7.8-8.3 |
7.5-8.0 |
7.9-8.3 |
7.7-8.2 |
7.5-8.2 |
7.3-7.9 |
8.0-8.3 |
|
|
Conductivity |
µS/cm |
192-230 |
218-245 |
142-275 |
155-290 |
187-355 |
245-424 |
209-225 |
|
|
Dissolved Oxygen |
mg/l |
6.2-7.5
|
4.4-6.2
|
6.3-7.9
|
4.5-7.2
|
5.7-7.0
|
2.8-6.0
|
6.6-7.5
|
|
|
Nitrate Nitrogen |
µg/l |
438-570
|
409-476
|
382-520
|
375-485
|
315-656
|
270-754
|
490-540
|
|
|
Ammonical Nitrogen |
µg/l |
130-261
|
158-574
|
101-382
|
135-578
|
307-873
|
388-2565
|
130-308
|
|
|
Ortho-Phosphate |
µg/l |
125-364
|
133-457
|
80-356
|
92-349
|
125-367
|
176-522
|
115-187
|
|
|
Total Phosphorus |
µg/l |
450-1100
|
512-1380
|
300-1050
|
371-1100
|
453-1207
|
798-1820
|
500-600
|
|
|
TDS |
mg/l |
104-1007 |
109-1100 |
85-850 |
72-909 |
102-1207 |
134-1820 |
95-115 |
|
|
TSS |
mg/l |
15-23 |
18-28 |
16-23 |
18-27 |
25-40 |
28-45 |
15-26 |
|
|
Turbidity |
NTU |
2-7 |
4-8 |
1-5 |
2-7 |
5-22 |
15-28 |
3-9 |
|
|
COD |
mg/l |
11-19 |
12-19 |
11-26 |
12-19 |
||||
|
BOD |
mg/l |
3-5 |
4-6 |
4-9 |
3-7 |
||||
The influence of population is clearly visible in the backwater areas where the nutrient values are comparably on higher side.
|
Parameters |
Unit |
Khawjayarbal |
Saida Kadal |
Western Foreshore Road |
|
Air Temp. |
oC |
4.3-31.1 |
4.6-29.8 |
4.6-31.7 |
|
Water Temp. |
oC |
5.1-27.9 |
3.1-23.0 |
4.2-28.0 |
|
Depth |
m |
1.0-1.7 |
0.7-1.0 |
1.3-2.0 |
|
Transparency |
m |
0.2-1.2 |
0.0-0.1 |
0.1-1.0 |
|
pH |
|
7.5-8.1 |
7.2-7.6 |
7.6-8.0 |
|
Conductivity |
µS/cm |
235-380 |
332-560 |
235-375 |
|
Dissolved Oxygen |
mg/l |
3.2-7.0 |
0.8-6.0 |
5.2-7.2 |
|
Nitrate Nitrogen |
µg/l |
390-956 |
352-1200 |
370-875 |
|
Ammonical Nitrogen |
µg/l |
235-3998 |
1159-2975 |
325-1112 |
|
Ortho-Phosphate |
µg/l |
158-760 |
963-2458 |
188-789 |
|
Total Phosphorus |
µg/l |
550-2200 |
2100-7500 |
456-2054 |
|
TDS |
mg/l |
50-155 |
62-160 |
40-135 |
|
TSS |
mg/l |
9-50 |
22-62 |
10-40 |
|
Turbidity |
NTU |
7-20 |
16-30 |
8-18 |
|
COD |
mg/l |
20-37 |
45-83 |
18-29 |
|
BOD |
mg/l |
11-18 |
22-23 |
8-14 |
BIODIVERSITY :
Dal lake harbours a significant variety of biological communities viz-a-viz; Macrophytes, Phytoplanktons, Zooplankton, Fish, Benthos, Periphyton, Avifauna etc but undesirable changes and various environmental factors have resulted in decline of quality and quantity of these biological communities.
MACROPHYTES :
The various species of Macrophytic Plants present in the lake are tabulated as under:
|
Emergent |
Submerged / Rooted Floating |
Free Floating |
|
Phragmites communis |
Hydrocharis morsus ranae |
Alternanthera philoxeroides |
|
Typha angustata |
Hydrocaris dubia |
Azolla |
|
Spargonium erectum |
Nelumbo nucifera |
Lemna minor |
|
Sagittaria sagatifolia |
Nymphea alba |
Marsilliea quadrifolia |
|
Rumex martimus |
Nymphea stellata |
Salvinia natans |
|
Rananuculus |
Nymphoides peltatum |
Spirodella sps |
|
Potentilla repans |
Myripohyllum verticellatum |
Trapa natans |
|
Juncus sp. |
Eurayle ferox |
Trapa bispino |
|
Menyanthes trifoilata |
Potamageton natans |
|
|
Alisma plantigina |
Ceratophyllum demersum |
|
|
|
Char asps |
|
|
|
Myriophyllum spicatum |
|
|
|
Potamogeton lucens |
|
|
|
Potamogeton puscillus |
|
|
|
Potamogeton prectinatus |
|
|
|
Potamogeton crispus |
|
|
|
Hydrilla verticellata |
|
|
|
Utricularia flexusa |
|
|
|
Vallisneria sp. |
|
Many constituent factors of environmental complex like water chemistry, effluent enrichment and physical contours of the lake govern the distribution and growth of aquatic vegetation. The macrophytes that are dominant and present almost throughout the year with varying frequency and density are Ceratophyllum demersum and Myriophyllum spicatum. Potamogeton crispus, Hydrilla verticellata, Potamogeton lucens, Potamageton natans alongwith the free floating plant sps.
|
Lake Basin |
Dominant species |
|
Nehru Park |
Ceratophyllum demersum Myriophyllum spicatum Hydrilla verticellata |
|
Nishat |
Nymphea Nymphea stellata Nymphoides peltatum Ceratophyllum demersum |
|
Hazratbal |
Nymphea Potamogeton natans Ceratophyllum demersum Nelumbo nucifera |
|
Nigeen |
Ceratoohyllum demersum Alternanthera philoxeroides Nelumbo nucifera |
Azolla a free floating fern although an exotic specie covered the maximum water expanse in the year 2008 to 2014 and after that has shown declining trend. From 2015 there has been a shift where Nymphea sps dominates most of the lake surface in Nishat basin and some areas of Hazratbal basin.
Plankton:
Qualitative and quantitative study of planktons both Phyto and Zoo is carried at different listed sites.
- i) Phytoplankton:
The various species listed under the different classes of Phytoplankton are as under:-
|
Bacillariophyceae |
Chlorophyceae |
Cyanophyceae |
Euglenophyceae |
Dyanophyceae |
|
Amphora sps. |
Ankistrodesmus sps. |
Anabaena sps. |
Euglena sps. |
Peridinium sps. |
|
Cymbella sps. |
Actinastrum sps. |
Anacystis sps. |
Phacus sps. |
Gymnodinium sps. |
|
Coscinodiscus sps. |
Closterium sps. |
Aphanocapsa sps. |
|
|
|
Cocconeis sps. |
Crucigenia sps. |
Coleospharium sps. |
|
|
|
Diatoma sps. |
Coelastrum sps. |
Chroococcus sps. |
|
|
|
Diatomella sps. |
Cosmarium sps. |
Gloceapsa sps. |
|
|
|
Eunotia sps. |
Desmidium sps. |
Merismopedia sps. |
|
|
|
Fragilaria sps. |
Euastrum sps. |
Microcystisaeruginosa sps. |
|
|
|
Gomphonema sps. |
Gonium sps. |
Nostoc sps. |
|
|
|
Gomphoneis sps. |
Mougeotia sps. |
Oscillatoria proteus |
|
|
|
Gyrosigma sps. |
Netrim sps. |
Polycystis aeruginosa |
|
|
|
Meridion sps. |
Oedogonium sps. |
Sphaerocystis sps. |
|
|
|
Melosira sps. |
Pediastrum sps. |
|
|
|
|
Navicula sps. |
Phacus sps. |
|
|
|
|
Nitzschia sps. |
Spirogyra sps. |
|
|
|
|
Pinnularia sps. |
Scenedesmus sps. |
|
|
|
|
Rhopalodia sps. |
Selemastrum sps. |
|
|
|
|
Synedra sps. |
Straustrum sps. |
|
|
|
|
Surirella sps. |
Sorastrum sps. |
|
|
|
|
Stauroneis sps. |
Sphaerozosma sps. |
|
|
|
|
Tabellaria sps. |
Schroederia sps. |
|
|
|
|
|
Tetraedron sps. |
|
|
|
|
|
Ulothrix sps. |
|
|
|
|
|
Xanthidium sps. |
|
|
|
The data for the year 2019-20 (September to August) for some representative sites is reproduced below.
|
Classes |
Unit |
Central Site Hazratbal basin |
Central Site Nishat basin |
Central site Nigeen basin |
Opposite Hotel Nun Kun |
|||
|
Surface |
Bottom |
Surface |
Bottom |
Surface |
Bottom |
|||
|
Baccillophyceae |
U/L |
2200-4100 |
2200-5900 |
900-3000 |
1000-3200 |
2100-4200 |
3100-5100 |
1300-2700 |
|
Chlorophyceae |
U/L |
200-3500 |
100-2200 |
100-800 |
200-1000 |
700-2300 |
500-2700 |
100-2600 |
|
Cyanophyceae |
U/L |
100-700 |
0-300 |
200-1200 |
500-1400 |
0-600 |
100-1200 |
300-1400 |
|
Euglenophyceae |
|
|
|
0-600 |
0-400 |
|
|
|
|
Dyanophyceae |
U/L |
|
|
0-600 |
0-400 |
|
|
0-100 |
|
Classes |
Unit |
Khawjayarbal |
Saida Kadal |
Western Foreshore Road |
|
Baccillophyceae |
U/L |
300-2900 |
400-2200 |
400-3200 |
|
Chlorophyceae |
U/L |
200-2100 |
200-1700 |
100-1600 |
|
Cyanophyceae |
U/L |
100-200 |
100-400 |
100-300 |
|
Dyanophyceae |
U/L |
0-3300 |
0-300 |
|
The various classes of Phytoplankton dominate in the order of :-
Bacillariophyceae>Chlorophyceae>Cyanophyceae>Euglenophyceae> Dyanophyceae
- ii) Zooplankton:
The various species listed under the different classes of Zooplankton are as under:-
|
Rotifera |
Cladocera |
Copepoda |
|
Asplanchna sps. |
Alona affinis |
Cyclops sps. |
|
Asplanchropus sps. |
Bosmina longirostris |
Diaptomous sps. |
|
Brachionus sps. |
CHydorus spharicus |
Eucyclops agilis |
|
Euchlania sps. |
Daphnia sps. |
Nauplii |
|
Keratella sps. |
|
|
|
Lecane eleclis |
|
|
|
Lepadella ovalis |
|
|
|
Monostyla sps. |
|
|
|
Mytilina ventralis |
|
|
|
Notholca acuminate |
|
|
|
Polyarthra sps. |
|
|
|
Pompholyx sps. |
|
|
|
Platyias sps. |
|
|
|
Squantinella mutica |
|
|
|
Trichocerca sps. |
|
|
|
Classes |
Unit |
Central Site Hazratbal basin |
Central Site Nishat basin |
Central site Nigeen basin |
Opposite Hotel Nun Kun |
|||
|
Surface |
Bottom |
Surface |
Bottom |
Surface |
Bottom |
|||
|
Rotifera |
I/L |
20-52 |
18-48 |
7-33 |
6-36 |
4-42 |
7-28 |
10-34 |
|
Cladocera |
I/L |
12-33 |
3-40 |
4-28 |
2-24 |
4-33 |
3-33 |
9-32 |
|
Copepoda |
I/L |
2-28 |
2-36 |
3-24 |
2-22 |
3-28 |
2-24 |
6-30 |
|
Classes |
Unit |
Khawjayarbal |
Saida Kadal |
Western Foreshore Road |
|
Rotifera |
I/L |
4-30 |
3-26 |
6-30 |
|
Cladocera |
I/L |
3-20 |
2-20 |
3-20 |
|
Copepoda |
I/L |
2-12 |
2-16 |
2-14 |
The various classes of Zooplankton dominate in the order of :-
Rotifera > Cladocera > Copepoda
Fish:
The present day fish catch of the Dal lake comprises of 75% of Carp among which Mirror carp and Scale carp are dominant followed by Schizothorax sps which are 20% and rest are 5%.
The various species listed are as under:-
- Cyprinus carpio specularis
- Cyprinus carpio communis
- Carassius carassius
- Labeo species
- Crossocheilus diplocheilus
- Botia berdii
- Nema cheilus
- Schizothorax niger
- Schizothorax curvifrons
- Schizothorax essocinus
- Puntius
- Gambusia
- Schozothorax plagiostomus
- Glyptothorax sps.
During the year 2019-20 (September to August) the percentage and highest catch was maximum for the mirror carp. The Labeo species, Botia berdii, and Nemacheilus are rarely found now in the catch.
Avifauna:
Dal lake provide nesting and breeding grounds for a variety of both native and breeding grounds for a variety of both native and summer migrants mainly represented by Dabchick, Pheasant tailed Jacana white spotted fantail fly catcher, white browed fantail flycatcher, common Kingfisher, yellow head wagtail, grey wagtail, white wagtail, little bittern, Whiskered tern, Himalayan Monal, Chakur etc. Besides these birds the winter migrants also visit the lake during night hours in winter for feeding.
Floating garden:
Floating gardens or radhs are made of long strips of the lake reed with a breadth of about six feet and are used for growing vegetables like cucumbers, melons and watermelons. The nutrient rich soil help to produce vegetables in abundance and of excellent quality.
Bacteria:
The microbiological quality of Dal lake waters is due to the possible contamination due to the entry of sewage or fecal matter.
|
Parameters |
Unit |
Central Site Hazratbal basin |
Central Site Nishat basin |
Central site Nigeen basin |
Opposite Hotel Welcome |
|
Fecal Coliform |
Colonies / 100ml |
1-10 |
1-9 |
1-15 |
1-17 |
|
Parameters |
Unit |
Khawjayarbal |
Western Foreshore Road |
|
Fecal Coliform |
Colonies/ 100ml |
21-148 |
9-58 |
SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS:
The R&M Division is also monitoring the efficiency of 6 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) on daily basis. The complete details of the STPs is as under.
|
Name of the STP |
Capacity |
Name of Technology |
Date of commissioning |
|
Brarinambal UEED |
17.1 MLD |
Activated sludge |
|
|
Hazratbal |
7.5 MLD |
Fluidized Aerobic Batch Reactor (FAB) |
2006 |
|
Habak |
3.2 MLD |
Fluidized Aerobic Batch Reactor (FAB) |
2006 |
|
Laam |
5.4 MLD |
Fluidized Aerobic Batch Reactor (FAB) |
2007 |
|
Brarinambal (LAWDA) |
16.1 MLD |
Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) |
2013 |
|
Nallah Amir Khan |
4.5 MLD |
Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) |
2013 |
The data generated after analysis the effluent parameters is uploaded on the official website of J&K Lake Conservation and Managment Authority.