Studies on physico-chemical characteristics of Dal Lake, Srinagar Kashmir

This study was aimed to estimate currentstatus of physico-chemical characteristics of Dal Lake at Srinagar District, Kashmir. Monthly changes in physico-chemical parameters such as water temperature, transparency, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, Free Co2, Alkalinity, chlorides, Ammonical nitrogen, Nitrate nitrogen and Total phosphorus were analyzed for a period of one year from January to December 2011. Among various Physico chemical parameters water temperature varied from 4.8⁰C to 25.6⁰C, transparency from 0.72 m to 1.66 m, pH of water was on alkaline side (7.34 to 8.2)., Conductivity ranged from 292.4 μs/cm to 406.2μS/cm, dissolved oxygen from 4.7 mg/L to 7.9 mg/l, free carbon dioxide from 08.80 mg/L to 20.50mg/L, total alkalinity from 130.70 mg/L to 181.00 mg/L. During the study period, higher values of ammonical nitrogen were recorded during summer and lower during winter season, nitrate nitrogen values recorded were in the range of 365.1 μg/L to 607 μg/L. Lower values of total phosphorous were observed during winter season and higher during Autumn season.