Sustainable Water Resource Management: Issues, Challenges & Solutions

The present investigation has made an attempt to assess the variation in the physicochemical status of the Ningthoukhong River. Water samples were collected from two sites (upstream and downstream) from April 2024 to March 2025 on a monthly basis and evaluated. This assessment indicates significant variations in various water quality parameters between the two sites throughout the study period. The average water temperatures measured were 20.88°C in the upstream site and 21.3°C in the downstream site. The pH levels were found to be 7.57 in the upstream and 7.44 in the downstream. Free carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations were recorded at 7.66 mg/L in the upstream and 13.93 mg/L in the downstream. Dissolved oxygen (DO) levels were 5.59 mg/L in the upstream and 3.75 mg/L in the downstream. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) was measured at 7.07 mg/L in the upstream and 4.56 mg/L in the downstream. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) values were 17.43 mg/L in the upstream and 9.37 mg/L in the downstream. Hardness levels were recorded at 44 mg/L in the upstream and 59.16 mg/L in the downstream. Macrophytes were collected and identified according to standard literature, resulting in the documentation of a total of 32 macrophyte species during the study period.