Assessment of Physico-chemical Properties of Water in the Champanala and Jamunia Channel of River Ganga in Bhagalpur, Bihar, India

Abstract

Rivers are considered sacred and remain lifelines in India and other countries. However, river-water pollution, including pollution of the Ganga, has become a serious environmental concern in India. The discharge of large quantities of organic and inorganic pollutants contributes substantially to the deterioration of water quality. The present investigation was conducted from September 2024 to August 2025 to evaluate the physico-chemical status of water in the Champanala and Jamunia channel of the river Ganga in Bhagalpur, Bihar. Water samples were collected monthly from three sampling sites: Champanala (upstream), Budhanath Ghat (midstream) and Barari Pool Ghat (downstream). The analysed parameters were temperature (21 °C to 36.5 °C), pH (7.24 to 8.72), total alkalinity (50 to 935 mg/l), dissolved oxygen (6.7 to 8.9 mg/l), total dissolved solids (121 to 642 mg/l), electrical conductivity (240 to 1284 µS/cm), total hardness (102 to 596 mg/l), chloride (10.09 to 117.96 mg/l), nitrate (0.1 to 35 mg/l) and phosphate (0.17 to 4.8 mg/l). The results indicate spatial and seasonal variation across the three sites. Dissolved oxygen remained within an acceptable range for aquatic life, although lower summer values may indicate increased organic loading and reduced dilution. TDS, chloride and nitrate were within acceptable limits, whereas pH, EC, TH and TA exceeded the cited permissible limits during certain months. These variations may be associated with effluent discharge, organic loading, detergents, pollutants, and seasonal changes in water flow and dilution. Regular monitoring and site-specific management are therefore required.