Statistical multivariate analysis in the assessment of river water quality in the vicinity of KRS Dam, Karnataka, India

Surface water quality assessment is a basic and critical tool for informing sustainable management of water resources. The aim of this study is to evaluate the reservoir and river water quality of the Cauvery River in the vicinity of the Krishna Raja Sagar Dam, Karnataka, India. The results will assist water management in the study area for varied future demands including, irrigation, industries, and river conservation. Ecologically important parameters such as dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, and physico-chemical parameters were analyzed. The results were compared with standard permissible limits. The differences in various parameters were statistically significant (P < 0.01) when comparing the upstream and downstream stretches of the river, particularly in summer. To identify a good technique for water quality assessment, all of the water quality parameters have been calculated by correlating various parameters and comparing them over two critical dry seasons. The dendrogram of the water-quality parameters clearly indicate that river water is safe for drinking, fishing, irrigation, and industrial purposes