Long-term changes in the water quality of Jamieson River, Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

Jamieson River was sampled in 1994/1995 and re-sampled in 2012/2013 (18 yrs) to determine water quality changes. With the indiscriminate usage of fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, among others and recently the increased activities of herdsmen in the catchment area, it became necessary to re-assess the state of the water quality with a view to ascertain if the water quality has significantly altered over the last twenty years, as well as it’s suitability for consumption and other related uses. Three sampling points were located along the river and water samples were analyzed for water temperature, pH, alkalinity, Transparency, Conductivity and dissolved oxygen at both times. Colour, turbidity, chloride, suspended solids, total dissolved solids, total solids, hardness, BOD, nitrate, sulphate and phosphate were measured only in 2012/2013. Trends in the data shows there was no significant spatiotemporal variation for most of the parameters examined except for transparency that was significantly lower at sampling station 3 as well as in 2012/2013 compared to 1994/1995. Nitrogen and phosphorus, the two key plant nutrients added in fertilizers remained very low, less than 1.2mg/l and 0.4 mg/l respectively. The overall picture emerging from this study is that water quality of Jameison River, is generally good for drinking and other domestic uses by international standards.