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<p>Securing water quality to meet the diverse needs of humans and ecosystems is a critical global challenge, as changes in precipitation, temperature, and humidity can drive rock weathering, waste leaching, and shifts in human interactions, all of which influence water quality dynamics.50 surface water samples from 25 different locations (2 × 25 samples) from Phewa Lake were collected strategically from inlet, center and outlet across two distinct seasons: pre-monsoon (March, 2017) and monsoon (June-July, 2017) to investigate the seasonal variation, hydrochemical characteristics, controlling factors and water quality dynamics. Standard analytical procedures were used to measure water temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen (DO), and major ions. The lake exhibited dominant ionic composition in the order of Ca²⁺ &gt; Na⁺ &gt; K⁺ &gt; Mg²⁺ and HCO₃⁻ &gt; SO₄²⁻ &gt; Cl⁻ &gt; NO₃⁻, characterizing it as a Ca-HCO₃ water type. In addition, geochemical analyses, supported by the Piper plot and Gibbs diagram, identified rock weathering particularly carbonate dissolution as the primary mechanism governing the hydrochemistry. Elevated ratios of (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺)/TZ⁺, (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺)/(Na⁺ + K⁺), Ca²⁺/Na⁺, and HCO₃⁻/Na⁺ further corroborate the dominance of carbonate weathering processes. Similarly, regarding seasonality, cluster analysis delineated two distinct groups of sampling points, highlighting monsoon-driven seasonality on water quality. Principal component analysis (PCA) explains 87.71% of the total variance, with PC1 primarily reflecting natural geogenic contributions, while PC2 and PC3 capture anthropogenic influences. Furthermore, a comparative analysis between monsoon and pre-monsoon seasons reveals improved water quality during the monsoon period based on water quality indices. This study highlights the effectiveness of geochemical analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis, and the water quality index in assessing water quality, providing valuable insights into the interplay of natural processes, human activities, and seasonal variations in shaping the water chemistry of Phewa Lake. It also offers valuable implications for the sustainable management of freshwater resources in Ramsar-listed Himalayan lakes in the context of climate change and escalating anthropogenic influences particularly the tourism dynamics and its role in shaping water quality.</p>

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Hydrochemical Characterization and Seasonal Variations in Water Quality of Phewa Lake, Nepal

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年5月26日

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  • Ramesh Raj Pant,
  • Faizan Ur Rehman,
  • Guanxing Wang,
  • Kiran Bishwakarma,
  • Saroj Adhikari

摘要

Securing water quality to meet the diverse needs of humans and ecosystems is a critical global challenge, as changes in precipitation, temperature, and humidity can drive rock weathering, waste leaching, and shifts in human interactions, all of which influence water quality dynamics.50 surface water samples from 25 different locations (2 × 25 samples) from Phewa Lake were collected strategically from inlet, center and outlet across two distinct seasons: pre-monsoon (March, 2017) and monsoon (June-July, 2017) to investigate the seasonal variation, hydrochemical characteristics, controlling factors and water quality dynamics. Standard analytical procedures were used to measure water temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen (DO), and major ions. The lake exhibited dominant ionic composition in the order of Ca²⁺ > Na⁺ > K⁺ > Mg²⁺ and HCO₃⁻ > SO₄²⁻ > Cl⁻ > NO₃⁻, characterizing it as a Ca-HCO₃ water type. In addition, geochemical analyses, supported by the Piper plot and Gibbs diagram, identified rock weathering particularly carbonate dissolution as the primary mechanism governing the hydrochemistry. Elevated ratios of (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺)/TZ⁺, (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺)/(Na⁺ + K⁺), Ca²⁺/Na⁺, and HCO₃⁻/Na⁺ further corroborate the dominance of carbonate weathering processes. Similarly, regarding seasonality, cluster analysis delineated two distinct groups of sampling points, highlighting monsoon-driven seasonality on water quality. Principal component analysis (PCA) explains 87.71% of the total variance, with PC1 primarily reflecting natural geogenic contributions, while PC2 and PC3 capture anthropogenic influences. Furthermore, a comparative analysis between monsoon and pre-monsoon seasons reveals improved water quality during the monsoon period based on water quality indices. This study highlights the effectiveness of geochemical analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis, and the water quality index in assessing water quality, providing valuable insights into the interplay of natural processes, human activities, and seasonal variations in shaping the water chemistry of Phewa Lake. It also offers valuable implications for the sustainable management of freshwater resources in Ramsar-listed Himalayan lakes in the context of climate change and escalating anthropogenic influences particularly the tourism dynamics and its role in shaping water quality.