Water quality and fish diversity in Korotoa River of Bogura, Bangladesh

Abstract

The study was conducted to explore the physicochemical parameters of water, fish diversity and
fisheries resources of Korotoa River at Bogura city of Bangladesh during July 2015 to February 2016. The
water samples were collected from five sampling stations in the Korotoa River during wet and dry seasons.
The results of the study showed that temperature, EC, TDS, DO, BOD, alkalinity, acidity and total hardness
of the Karotoa River water were 25.86ºC, 297.41 ?S/cm, 98.86 mg/L, 2.17 mg/L, 2.64 mg/L, 122.05
mg/L, 3.28 mg/L and 75.59 mg/L, respectively. The DO and BOD contents of the river water were found
unsuitable for fisheries when compared with the standard of DoE. A total of ten fish species under six orders
and seven families were identified during the study period. The study also revealed that the most remarkable
cause of water quality degradation of the river was waste dumping (58%) followed by urbanization and river
bank erosion. The water quality degradation (46%) negatively influenced the abundance of fish species. The
results concluded that the water quality of the river is not favorable for production of fishes and other aquatic
organisms. The study suggested that the source of water quality degradation should be closely monitored
together with the industrial effluent and/or domestic sewage discharge should be reduced or stopped through
the initiatives of the local government concerned to maintain sound and healthy ecosystem of the river.