Vol. 9, Issue 3, Part C (2023)

Urban lakes play a vital role in the\\r\\necological and socio-economic fabric of cities, providing numerous benefits to\\r\\nsurrounding communities. However, they are often subjected to various\\r\\nanthropogenic pressures, leading to degradation in water quality and ecological\\r\\nhealth. Dal Lake, situated in the heart of Srinagar city in Jammu and Kashmir,\\r\\nIndia, is one such urban lake facing numerous challenges due to urbanization,\\r\\npopulation growth, and tourism activities. This research paper presents a\\r\\ncomprehensive hydrogeochemical analysis of Dal Lake to assess its current state\\r\\nin terms of its water quality. Water samples were collected from various\\r\\nlocations within the lake and analysed for physicochemical parameters including\\r\\npH (7.3 to 8.8), EC (120 to 398 µs/cm), TDS (70 to 255 mg/L), Ca²⁺ (22 to 52 mg/L), Mg²⁺ (2.5 to 13 mg/L),\\r\\nTH (67 to 189 mg/L), Na⁺ (0.9 to 6.8 mg/L), K⁺ (0.3 to 3.9 mg/L), HCO₃ˉ (67 to 182 mg/L), Clˉ (4 to 28 mg/L), NO₃ˉ(0.2 to 4.6 mg/L), SO₄²ˉ (7 to 32 mg/L) and SiO₂ (0.5 to 6.5 mg/L). The results reveal a complex hydrogeochemical\\r\\nenvironment within Dal Lake, characterized by spatial and temporal variations\\r\\nin water quality parameters. Furthermore, statistical analysis techniques such\\r\\nas correlation analysis were employed to properly understand the variations in\\r\\nwater quality. The concentration of most of the parameters was found higher in\\r\\nNigeen basin compared to the other three basins which is due to the high\\r\\nresidence time of water within Nigeen basin. High levels of nutrients such as\\r\\nnitrogen and phosphorus indicate eutrophication, likely attributed to untreated\\r\\nsewage inflow and agricultural runoff. This research contributes to the\\r\\nunderstanding of urban lake dynamics and provides valuable insights for\\r\\npolicymakers, environmentalists, and stakeholders involved in the conservation\\r\\nand restoration of Dal Lake and similar urban water bodies worldwide.