Srinagar, Sep 05: Phosphate, detergents, pesticides and other pollutants are adding to the growing pressure on Kashmir’s iconic Dal and Nigeen lakes, with a comparative water-quality study warning that continued anthropogenic activity could eventually threaten their ecological health, aquatic life and tourism value.
The study, titled “A Study on Comparative Assessment of Water Quality of Dal and Nigeen Lakes of Jammu and Kashmir, India”, by Faheem Ahamad, Arun Kumar Sharma and Sandeep Kumar Tyagi, assessed the water quality of the two lakes through five sampling sites—three in Dal Lake and two in Nigeen.
The researchers examined key physicochemical parameters including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), chloride, sulphate, nitrate and phosphate.
“Dal Lake recorded higher values of BOD, EC, COD and phosphate, while Nigeen recorded comparatively higher levels of nitrate, dissolved oxygen, chloride and sulphate,” the study reads. “The higher BOD and COD levels in Dal point towards a greater load of organic and oxidisable matter in its waters, while elevated phosphate indicates increased nutrient pressure, which can contribute to ecological imbalance when it persists over time.”
A student’s t-test showed significant differences (p < 0.05) between the means of most of the parameters studied in the two lakes, except EC and nitrate. “If the pollution trend continues, water quality in both lakes could eventually become unfit for aquatic plants and animals and adversely affect tourism-related activities,” the study reads.
The findings are significant for Kashmir, where Dal and Nigeen are not merely scenic attractions but important aquatic ecosystems supporting traditional livelihoods and a tourism economy.
The study calls for effective water-management strategies and stronger conservation efforts to preserve the water quality of both lakes.
While the study specifically measured phosphate and several other physicochemical parameters, it did not directly quantify detergent or pesticide concentrations. These should therefore be treated as wider sources of pollution pressure rather than direct measurements reported by the study.
The assessment serves as a timely reminder that protecting Dal and Nigeen requires action before deteriorating water quality becomes a much deeper ecological crisis.
