Surface water quality dynamics of river, lakes and dam in Jaipur district, India: Insights from WQI, MANOVA and Contour mapping

Abstract The present study assesses the surface water quality of Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, by conducting a comprehensive seasonal evaluation of four significant surface water bodies of district. A total of 12 surface water samples in triplicates were taken during pre-monsoon (PRM), monsoon (M) and post-monsoon (POM) seasons and analysed for 12 physicochemical, 3 biological and 2 microbiological parameters, to determine the suitability of these water resources for domestic and ecological use. Water Quality Index (WQI) was employed to provide an overall measure of water status while the significant effects of seasons, sites and their interactions were statistically analysed by Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and post-hoc test. Based on the majority of studied water quality parameters, the results revealed the order of seasonal impact as PRM > M > POM, whereas spatially, Mansagar lake exhibited the highest significance in some parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, TDS, total hardness, chloride, nitrate and carbonates) followed by Dravyavati river (BOD, COD, fluoride and coliforms), Maota lake (D.O and temperature) and Kanota dam (bicarbonates). Contour chats were prepared for each studied parameter, enabling a clear visualization of distributional patterns and trends. The research emphasizes the need for sustainable management techniques to protect surface water resources in semi-arid areas and provides critical insights on how seasonal factors influence the water quality.