Water Quality Assessment of Dutsin-Ma Dam, Katsina State, Nigeria

Maintenance of healthy aquatic environment and production of sufficient food in reservoirs are primarily linked with successful reservoir culture operations. To keep the aquatic habitat favorable for existence of living organisms, physical and chemical factors like temperature, turbidity, pH, odor, dissolved gases (Oxygen and CO2), salts and nutrients as well as presence of heavy metals must be monitored regularly, individually or synergistically. The aim of this research was to assess the quality of water in Dutsin-Ma dam. During the study, physico-chemical parameters, Phytoplanktos diversity as well as heavy metals presence of Dutsin-Ma Dam were studied for the period of four months, July, 2021 to September, 2021 (rainy season). Water temperatures, Water pH, were measured. Dissolved oxygen, Turbidity and Total dissolved solids were determined Spectrophometrically. Results of the determination of physico-chemical parameters showed that temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, turbidity, nitrate, phosphate, zinc and chromium were varied. Similarly, Phytoplanktons were collected using small sampling bottles and identified. Five (5) species grouped into Four (4) classes of phytoplankton comprising of Chlorophyta, Charophyta, Cyanophyta and Chrysophyta were recorded. Species identified includes Characium sp, Gleotrichia sp, Mallomonas sp, Closterium sp and Chlorella sp. Heavy metals were analyzed by digestion and analysis using Palintest Spectrophotometer (7100). The results of heavy metal analysis showed the presence of zinc and chromium which varies between July to August. The value of Chromium was high in August (5.39±2.20) while lowest in the month of September (1.65±0.77). Correlation matrix showed that there were significant positive correlations between phytoplanktons diversity and physico- chemical parameters of the dam water. This suggests that the dam water is not fit for drinking during this season.