Author(s): U. S. BANERJEE AND S. GUPTA

Abstract: Rivers have always been the most important freshwater resources and conductive to various developmental activities and rapid urbanization has resulted in the degradation of quality of river water. The present research work deals with the assessment of irrigation water suitability of river Damodar. The major physico-chemical parameters were analyzed for a period of consecutive two years 2007 and 2008 .The SAR, Na% and RSC have been utilized to verifY the water quality for irrigation use. The concentration of different parameters of Damodar river water ranges between 0.01 mg 11 to 1.32 mg I (Po/-), 0.09mg 11 to 4.19 mg 11 (NOJ), 56mg 11 to176 mg 11 (HCOJ), 4.21mg11 to 63.92mg11 (Ca2+), 3.73mg11 to 49.1mg11(Mg2+), 5.35mg11 to 45.62mg11 (Na+), 0.1mg11 to 34.9mg11 (K\'\") and 7.69mg11 to 81.09mg11 (SO/). Na% value of Damodar river water samples ranges from 11.58 to 66.13 with an average of 33.64. The RSC values of water samples of river Damodar range from the -4.52 to 1.80 with an average of0.06. The SAR concentration of Damodar river water samples ranges from 0.28 to 1.57 with an average of 0. 72. From the study of Damodar river water quality in relation to irrigation water quality standards it was found that at the site of majhermana there are high Na% and RSC indicating unsuitability for agricultural purpose. The quality assessment shows that in general the water in the study area are suitable for irrigation purposes with respect to Na%, RSC and SAR values in case of pre-monsoon, monsoon and during post-monsoon season.

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