Due to overpopulation and development activities that have exploited and degraded the water resources at our disposal, water quality has become a global problem. f this context, an attempt has been made to evaluate the water quality in Lake Wular of Jammu & Kashmir, India. It is an ox-bow type lake of fluviatile origin and India’s largest fresh water lake located in Bandipora district in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. Parameters like total phosphorous, nitrate nitrogen, ammonical nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, water temperature and pH were determined at the sampling sites and detailed analysis of samples were carried out using the methods outlined in American Public Health Association. Site E recorded maximum average concentration of total phosphorous concentration (408.8±16.48µg/l) as well as maximum average of nitrate nitrogen (440.7±41.04 µg/l). Negative significant correlation was recorded between nitrate and phosphate levels of the lake (r= -0.816; P<0.01). Mean concentration of ammonical nitrogen recorded was maximum of 368.32±11.87 µg/l in the month of February. Dissolved oxygen concentration ranged between 6.42±0.18 to 8.68±0.22 in summer and winter months respectively. Also, there was also a positive correlation between temperature and pH (r=0.807, p<0.01) and pH and dissolved oxygen (r= 0.579; P<0.01). From the present study, it was concluded that Wular Lake falls under eutrophic category.

Ammonia, Dissolved oxygen, Nitrate, Phosphate, Wular Lake

From the current study, it is concluded that the physico-chemical characteristics of the water have either directly or indirectly impacted the trophic status of the Lake as a result of significant anthropogenic pressure, pollution load, organic matter outcome, massive amounts of raw sewage, direct drainages, etc. These shifting circumstances have brought this Lake to a critical stage in terms of ecology, and if suitable conservation measures are not implemented in the future, the Lake would certainly degrade further. As a result, adequate management measures must be implemented by government officials and local residents to prevent the lake from degrading further.

Saima Andleeb, Irfan Ahmad, Asim Iqbal Bazaz, Mehak Hafeez, Azra Shah and Durdana Qazi (2022). Evaluation of surface Water quality Parameters at different Sites of Wular Lake of Kashmir Himalayas. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(3): 1682-1689.