Assessment of Fish Diversity and Water Quality at Guwardi Dam, Bhilwara.

This study examines the relationship between fish diversity and water quality at Guwardi Dam, focusingon physicochemical parameters from July to September 2024. Water samples were collected twicemonthly from four sites and analysed, with fish diversity data provided by dam officials. Key water qualitymetrics included pH (8.35–9.94), temperature (27.3°C–30.7°C), salinity (0.28–0.64 ppt), dissolvedoxygen (3.92–4.84 mg/L) and biological oxygen demand (1.8-4.84 mg/L). Other parameters measuredwere hardness (57.65-176.76 mg/L), carbonate alkalinity (3.4-8 mg/L), bicarbonate alkalinity (75.1-126.2mg/L), alkalinity (79.7-133.6 mg/L), total dissolved solids (379–877 ppm), and electrical conductivity(551–1,289.7 μS/cm). The dam supported 20 fish species from 9 families and 7 orders, with Cypriniformes(45%) and Siluriformes (30%) being the dominant orders. The alkaline water, while suitable for fish andfisheries, highlights the need for long-term monitoring due to threats from domestic and industrial waste.The study recorded the dam high fish species diversity but also points out the importance of conservationefforts to maintain aquatic health.