Assessment of Seasonal Variations In The Physico-Chemical Parameters Of Bakolori Dam, Zamfara State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigates seasonal variations in the Physico-Chemical Parameters of Bakolori Dam, Zamfara State, Nigeria. Data for period from July 2015 to February 2016 for selected physico-chemical parameters were collected. Four sampling stations were selected, and standard procedures were adopted for determination of physico-chemical parameters. The parameters analyzed were, atmospheric temperature values which ranged from 26.36 to 28.81⁰C, water temperature 24.26 to 24.91⁰C, total dissolved solids 34.63 to 41.38ppm, electrical conductivity 67.63 to 82.60µs/cm, water transparency 2.05 to 2.81cm, dissolved oxygen was between 4.45 to 4.91mg/l, pH varied from 8.29 to 8.56, total alkalinity 0.63 to 0.70mg/l, chloride ranged from 0.81 to 0.98mg/l, nitrogen 0.66 to 0.68mg/l, ammonium 0.45 to 0.48mg/l, nitrate 0.66 to 0.76mg/l and phosphorus was between 0.14 to 0.21mg/l, and there was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the means of these parameters with respect to stations. Apart from the water transparency, seasonal variations observed between the parameters studied in Bakolori Dam in wet and dry seasons were found to be within the optimum ranges required for fish culture and domestic use hence the Dam was mildly polluted.