Assessment of Surface Water Quality of Central Indus (River Indus)

This study aspires to analyze and understand the level of pollutant's concentration in the surface water of the central Indus (Wetland complex). It aims at investigating the major sources of water pollutants affecting the surface water quality of central Indus. Overall 40 surface water samples had been collected from the Central Indus (Wetland Complex) over a time span of two months ranging from February 2009 to March 2009 and water quality parameters/ Indicators like temperature, pH, TDS, EC, Salinity, DO, Calcium (Ca+2), Magnesium (Mg+2), T.H, Alkalinity (Alk), Chloride (Cl), Phosphate (PO4+3), Sulphate SO4 ,+2 Nitrates (NO3-), and trace metals including Zn2+ Cd+2, Pb+2 & Cu+2 were determined. In addition, biological parameters like total coli-form and fecal coli-form were also determined. The level of majority of water quality parameters was found higher than specified international quality standards. It was also observed that this level of pollutant's concentration was higher than echelon of most of rivers of the world Such as River Ogun, Ganga River, Calabar River, Vatinsky Egan River and River Indus itself.