IMPACTS OF ANTHROPOGENIC ACTIVITIES ON WATER QUALITY AND BIOTIC ECOSYSTEM IN PAGER RIVER, KITGUM MUNICIPALITY, NORTHERN UGANDA
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Date
2023
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Gulu University
Abstract
This study assessed anthropogenic activities along Pager River within Kitgum Municipality and their potential influence on the river water quality and biotic ecosystem. It also evaluated suitability of the river water for domestic and irrigation use. A survey was conducted to identify the anthropogenic activities along the river that are within 30m buffer zone. Water quality and benthic macroinvertebrate were analyzed at 4 selected sites along the river once per month for five months from March 2022 to July 2022. The study sites were selected at the upstream (before themunicipality), within Kitgum municipality and after the municipality (downstream). The water quality parameters analyzed at each sitewere Temperature, pH, Turbidity, Electrical conductivity(EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Hardness, Nitrate, Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Sodium (Na), Total Bacterial Count (TBC) and Fecal Coliform (FC). The Benthic macroinvertebrate metrics/parameters that were analyzed include; Taxonomic richness, Species abundance, Species richness (S), Species evenness (E), Shannon Weiner Index (H’) and Average score per taxa (ASPT). The water quality and benthic macroinvertebrates data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and student t-test. River water suitability for domestic use was determined using Water Quality Index (WQI) and for irrigation by Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), Magnesium Adsorption Ratio (MAR) and EC. The finding from the survey conducted revealed that within Kitgum Municipality, the mostly practiced anthropogenic activities along the river bank with noncompliance with river bank regulation guidelines was sandmining, followed by agriculture,waste disposal, sanitary facilities, settlements and car washing. ANOVA and t-test results revealed that Pager River water (in terms of turbidity, FC and TBC) and aquatic environment were greatly compromised within and downstream the Kitgum Municipal area likely due to the anthropogenic activities. The study found that the river water quality was unsuitable for domestic use (WQI>100) but suitable for irrigation (SAR, EC and MAR within acceptable limits). The results of this study inform decision to provide necessary guidelines and policies that can be used to control or stop human activities which were found commonly practiced within the buffer zone along the Pager River to ensure that River Pager is sustainably conserved/protected to provide good quality water and other ecosystem services.