Spatial and temporal variation in surface water chemistry of a tropical river, the river Bharathapuzha, India

The study examines the spatiotemporal variation in water quality and quantity of Bharathapuzha river basin using multivariate statistical analysis tools. The sub-basins varied notably in terms of river discharge, elemental concentration as well as elemental load. It was found that in basins that are more disturbed, monsoonal discharge was much higher than the discharges in other seasons, while the slightly disturbed basin had consistent level of discharge throughout the season. Changes in land use and the impact of dams are major reasons for the spatiotemporal variations in the surface water chemistry of the river.