IMPACTS ANALYSIS OF CONSERVATION WORKS OF RIVER BHA VAN! IN TAMILNADU

Abstract

Tamilnadu being the Southern most state in India has several rivers but limited water resources for its survival. It has only 4% of India's total fresh water and it caters the needs of 6.3% of the population. Bhavani, the second largest river in Tamilnadu, begins from Kerala's Silent Valley and flows into western Tamilnadu, covering a distance of 217 km before merging with the Cauvery. The main river courses through, Nilgiris, Coimbatore and Erode districts of Tamilnadu, before reaching the Cauvery at Bhavani town. About 90 per cent of the river's water is used for agriculture, even as industries dot the sub basin at every point. The main objective of this dissertation is to study the various environmental issues of the basin, water uses for. various purposes, point and non-point sources of pollution, analysis of water quality of the river conservation measures need to be taken by various regulatory authorities, impact of the conservation measures on water quality and conclusions made based on the findings and recommendations made to maintain the present water quality, of the river. The reason for selecting river Bhavani has been its unhealthy environmental conditions because of the discharge of the untreated domestic sewage from the towns in the river basin and also there is no control over the discharge of effluents from the small industries like ' tanneries and dyeing units, and excess consumption of water for agricultural purposes, use of excess fertilizers and pesticides, monoculture are the other reasons for its pollution. It is under the mandate of NRCD. In this thesis the river water quality was assessed on the basis of water quality indices computed from the data collected from various sources and water quality maps were prepared for the river. The impact of conservation measures on water quality was assessed and suggestions and recommendations are made to conserve the river. Bhavani, being the major tributary to river Cauvery in Tamilnadu, the Improvement in the water quality of the river will also improve the water quality of river Cauvery, as its flow is presently depending on the release from Karnataka which affects its water quality to a large extent.