Lack of monitoring and implementation of appropriate management practices and strategies in compliance with the Ramsar Convention obligations have been contributing to severe degradation of Beeshazar Lake, a Ramsar site in central Nepal. The surface water quality and characteristics of underlying sediments were studied to determine the limnological status of the lake. Water quality in Beeshazar Lake was found less favorable to aquatic organisms, with low pH and transparency, low dissolved oxygen (DO), and high nutrient concentrations (Nitrogen and Phosphorus), challenging the conservation of critically endangered gharial, a vulnerable marsh crocodile and many fish species. The lake was found eutrophic in nature by nitrogen concentration and transparency and hyper-eutrophic by phosphorus criteria. Lake sediments were high in organic matter content and nutrient concentrations, signifying a potential internal source of nutrient loading in the overlying water. There were no significant variations in the water and sediment quality between sampling sites except for transparency, sedimentary organic matter content (OM) and total nitrogen concentration (TN). This study provided useful information for decision makers aimed to the conservation and sustainable management of the lake.
M. J. Groom, B. K. Meffe and C. R Carroll, “Principles of Conservation Biology,” 3rd Edition, Sinauer Associates, Inc. Publishers, Sunderland, USA, 2006.
Ramsar Convention Bureau, “The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance: An Introductory Ramsar Brochure,” 3rd Edition, 2002. http://www.ramsar.org.
B. Pradhan, “Water Quality Assessment of the Bagmati River and its Tributaries, Kathmandu, Nepal,” M.S. Thesis, Boku-University, Vienna, 1998.
J. Bratram and R. Ballence, “Water Quality Monitoring: A Practical Guide to the Design and Implementation of Freshwater Quality Studies and Monitoring Programs,” London, 1996.
A. K. De, “Environmental Chemistry,” 4th Edition, New Age International Publishers, New Delhi, 2000.
Central Board of Immigration and Power of India, “Aquatic Weeds and Their Control in Water in India,” 1999.
I. Tuzun and O. Ince, “Relationship between Water Flow Volume and In-Lake Total Phosphorus Concentrations via Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations and Temperature in a Warm Temperate Reservoir: Implications by Path Analysis,” Lakes and Reservoirs: Research and Management, Vol. 11, No. 2, 2006, pp. 83-96. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1770.2006.00298.x
S. D. Joshi, R. P. Chaudary and P. B. Shrestha, “Wetlands of Kathmandu Valley. Inventory and Management Strategy,” Ministry of Population and Environment, HMG, Nepal, 2001.
IUCN, “An inventory of Nepal’s Terai Wetlands,” IUCNNepal, Kathmandu, 1998.
International Conservation Union and Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, “Ramsar Information Sheet,” 2006. http://www.wetlands.org/reports/dbdirect-org.cfm?site-id
DHM, “Department of Hydrology and Metrology,” Babar Mahal, Nepal, 2005.
APHA, AWWA and WPCF, “Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Waste Water,” 9th Edition, American Public Health Association, Washington DC, 1995.
R. K. Trivedy and P. K. Goel, “Chemical and Biological Methods for Water Pollution Studies,” Department of Environmental Pollution, Y. K. College of Science, Karad, India, 1986.
G. Kirillin, “FLake-Global: Online Lake Model with Worldwide Coverage,” Environmental Modelling & Software, Vol. 26, No. 5, 2011, pp. 683-684. doi:10.1016/j.envsoft.2010.12.004
G. R. Wetzel, “Limnology: Lakes and River Ecosystems,” 3rd Edition, Academic Press, San Diago, 1987.
K. H. Schutte and J. F. Elsworth, “The Significance of Large pH Fluctuation Observed in Some South African Lakes,” Ecology, Vol. 42, No. 1, 1954, pp. 148-150. doi:10.2307/2256983
UNESCO-IUCN, “Water Quality Assessment in and around Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India,” Technical Report Number 9, UNESCO-IUCN, 2005.
W. Rodhe, “Crystallization of Eutrophication Concepts in Northern Europe,” In: Proceedings of Symposium on Eutrophication: Causes, Consequences, Correctives, National Academy of Sciences, Washington DC, 1969, pp. 50-64.
W. Kaul and C. L. Trishal, “Ecology and Conservation of the Freshwater Lake of Kashmir,” In: S. D. Misra, D. N. Sen AND I. Ahmad, Eds., Evaluation and Conservation of Environment, GEO BIOS International, Jodhpur, India, 1991.
K. M. O’Dell, J. Van Arman, B. M. Welch and S. D. Hill, “Changes in Water Chemistry in a Macrophyte Dominated Lake before and after Herbicide Treatments,” Lake and Reservoir Management, Vol. 11, No. 4, 1995, pp. 311-316. doi:10.1080/07438149509354212
United States Department of Agriculture, “Soil Mechanics Level 1. Module 3-USDA Textural Soil Classification Study Guide,” 2006. http://www.wsi.nrcs.usda.gov/products/w2q/H&H/docs/training_series_modules/soil-USDA-textural-class.pdf
M. Sondergaard, J. P. Jensen, E. Jeppesen and P. H. Moller, “Seasonal Dynamics in the Concentrations and Retention of Phosphorus in Shallow Danish Lakes after Reduced Loading,” Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management, Vol. 5, Vol. 1, 2002, pp. 19-29. doi:10.1080/14634980260199936
P. D. Sharma, “Ecology and Environment,” 7th Edition, Rastogi Publications, Meerut, India, 1999.
C. J. Watts, “The Effects of Organic Matter on Sedimentary Phosphorus Release in an Australian Reservoir,” Hydrobiologia, Vol. 431, No. 1, 2000, pp. 13-25. doi:10.1023/A:1004046103679
Q. Hu, J. Song, L. Dong, Z. Li and Y. Zhu, “Effects of pH and Eh on Nitrogen and Phosphorus Release from Sediments of West Lake,” Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference on the Conservation and Management of Lakes, ILEC, Shiga, Japan, 2001.
O. A. Diaz, K. R. Reddy and P. A. Moore, “Solubility of Inorganic P in Stream as Influenced by pH and Calcium Concentration,” In: W. J. Mitsch, Ed., Global Wetlands, Old and New, Elsevier Science B.V., USA, 1994.
UNEP, “Planning and Management of Lakes and Reservoirs, an Integrated Approach to Eutrophication,” International Environmental Technology Center, Osaka/Shinga, Japan, 1999.
P. Harremoejs, “The Challenge of Managing Water and Material Balances in Relation to Eutrophication,” Water Science and Technology, Vol. 37, No. 3, 1998, pp. 9-17. doi:10.1016/S0273-1223(98)00051-1
M. V. Martinova, “Nitrogen and Phosphorus Compounds in Bottom Sediments: Mechanisms of Accumulation, Transformation and Release,” Hydrobiologia, Vol. 252, No. 1, 1993, pp. 1-22. doi:10.1007/BF00000124
S. M. Banerjea, “Water Quality and Soil Condition of Fish Pond in Some State of India in Relation to Fish Production,” Indian Journal of Fish, Vol. 14, No. 1, 1967, pp. 115-144.
C. Forsberg and S. O.Ryding, “Eutrophication Parameters and Trophic State Indices in 30 Swedish Waste Receiving Lakes,” Achieves of Hydrobiology, Vol. 89, No. 1/2, 1980, pp. 189-207.