Water Quality Characterisation and Restoration Measures of University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC) Lake

Abstract

Nutrient enrichment has been identified as the major cause of University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC) Lake’s water quality degradation. This study critically examines the nature, source and delivery of nutrients into the lake and observes that uncontrolled anthropogenic activities along the catchment area are the major sources. The chemical analyses of the water samples drawn from different sampling points were carried out in the laboratory and the total phosphorus readings were in the range of 20 to 55.7 μg/L with the inflow 1 recording the highest level. The chlorophyll a concentrations in the lake water were between 39 to 65 μg/L which exceeded Malaysian water quality standard. However, the silicate and nitrate levels were found to be in lower concentrations. Dissolved oxygen and pH readings obtained through in situ measurements in the lake water showed that there was oxygen depletion in the water during the night while it increased during the day, also the lake was acidic in the night and became alkaline in the day. All the findings were integrated to draw realistic restoration goals for the lake.