Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

OBSERVATIONS ON SEASONAL VARIATIONS IN HYDROGRA- PHICAL CHARACTERISTICS RECORED AT MUMBAI HARBOUR

B.S. Swami and M. Udhayakumar

Abstract

The environmental parameters like temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), total suspended solids (TSS) and water turbulence (activity of water mass) were measured from three study sites located in Mumbai harbour, west coast of India for the period of three years (October 1994 to September 1997).The study revealed that the water quality parameters measured at Near-shore waters (St-1) and Karanja Jetty (St.3) differed from Tidal basin (St.2) a polluted site. Annual dissolved oxygen values (average) measured at St.2 were 3.25 ± 1.54 (1994-l995),3.43 ± 2.13 (1995-1996) and 4.13 ± 1.23 mg/I (1996-1997). It was observed that DO, pH and TSS recorded at Tidal basin were significantly lower than those at Near shore waters and Karanja jetty, thus influence of sewage pollution through culvert at Tidal basin was evident. At open Near-shore waters (St.1), the average DO recorded were 6.4 I ± 0.92 (1994-1995), 5.1 ± 1.3 mg/ 1(1995-1996) and. 5.6 ± 1.23 rngil (1996-1997) indicating healthy status of water mass. All the parameters measured were found to be influenced by seasons viz, monsoon, pre-monsoon and post-monsoon resulting in wide variations. The water mass at Karanja jetty was more turbulent than Near-shore waters and Tidal basin. The turbulence was particularly high during monsoon.The observations on hydrographical characters revealed that the general profile was same as that of west coast of India.