Restoration Plan of Gomti River with Designated Best Use Classification of Surface Water Quality based on River Expedition, Monitoring and Quality Assessment

Abstract

In this paper, an attempt has been made to reclassify the designated best use of water quality based upon river expedition carried out from March 27 to April 2011 in the entire stretch of Gomti river at 30 different segments. Based on the observation of the river expedition, a restoration plan is also prepared. Older satellite images (LANDSAT 1978, LISS III 2008) were consulted to prepare land use maps in the Gomti basin and compare them with the recent satellite maps (2011). There has been severe reduction in forest cover and wetlands in the entire Gomti basin due to rapid land use change and increasing demand of pristine land from urbanization. This has affected flow of water in Gomti river adversely as most of the tributaries originate from water bodies or forests and reduction in their density has caused reduction in water availability in the river. Except Pilibhit and Kheri, all the districts falling under the basin are deficient in forest cover. Secondly, the result of sampling indicates that the quality of the water has deteriorated due to discharge of untreated wastewater from about 50 major drains in its entire course of 960 kms. The stretch between downstream of Lucknow to upstream of Barabanki, and between downstream of Sultanpur and Jauanpur is most polluted with designated class as E. The water quality between downstream of Jaunpur till confluence in Ganga at Kaithi, Ghazipur has been put in class D. Water quality of Gomti which deteriorates due to mixing of untreated sewage and industrial effluent up to Lucknow improves as a result of self purification process between Pipraghat to upstream of confluence of river Reth and Loni. The water quality at Lucknow and Jaunpur has been found quite unsafe. Due to self purification process between downstream Sultanpur to upstream Jaunpur city, DO levels improve.