TOURISM IMPACTS ON THE WATER QUALITY OF BHIMTAL LAKE IN CENTRAL HIMALAYARAJESH KUMAR LOHCHABA, DEVENDRA K. AGRAWALB AND C.P. KAUSHIKAAbstract Tourism induced population growth at Bhimtal has deteriorated the lake due to increased soil erosion and disposal and seepage of sewage from the catchment area of the lake. The water quality index (WQI) of Bhimtal Lake and its catchment at different locations comprising lake, drains, springs and only available hand pump were under high pollution category, i.e. >90 except for one location. K-clustering revealed that ground water and lake water may have similar sources of water or mixing of ground water in lake. From K-clustering and WQI, it is clear that the main sources of contamination of lake water were drains, which have high concentration of pollutant and fallen into the lake. Statistical analysis further showed that the lake water at one of its location near the lake island was considerably different from other locations and has high WQI. Bhimtal Lake fell between oligotrophic to mesotrophic conditions because phosphate, as orthophosphate (O- PO42-) in lake water varied between 5.20 μg/L to 19 μg/L.
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