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Spatio-Temporal Water Quality Assessment of the Wetlands in The International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies 2020; 8(4): 130-138 E-ISSN: 2347-5129 P-ISSN: 2394-0506 (ICV-Poland) Impact Value: 5.62 Spatio-temporal water quality assessment of the (GIF) Impact Factor: 0.549 IJFAS 2020; 8(4): 130-38 wetlands in the lower part of Gilgel Abay River © 2020 IJFAS www.fisheriesjournal.com Catchment, Ethiopia Received: 20-05-2020 Accepted: 24-06-2020 Habtamu Getnet, Seyoum Mengistou and Bikila Warkineh Habtamu Getnet Center for Environmental Science, Collage of Natural Abstract Sciences, Addis Ababa This study was conducted in the wetlands of the lower Gilgel Abay River catchment, Ethiopia from 2017 University, Addis Ababa, to 2018. The objective of the study was to assess the impacts of human activities on the physicochemical Ethiopia parameters and habitat quality of the wetlands. The water quality parameters (temperature, pH, salinity, TDS, TSS, DO, turbidity, electrical conductivity and nutrients) were examined at six study sites during Seyoum Mengistou the wet and dry seasons. The significance of spatial and temporal variability of water quality parameters Department of Zoological was evaluated using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests respectively. The result showed that most Sciences, Collage of Natural of the water quality parameters were significantly different among the sampling sites and between Sciences, Addis Ababa seasons (p< 0.05). The water quality parameter association using principal component analysis (PCA) University, Addis Ababa, indicated that the quality of water was influenced by human activities such as agricultural activities and Ethiopia urban effluent around the wetland. The study concluded that the wetlands have been polluted as a result Bikila Warkineh of the human activities within the wetlands and their surrounding areas. It is recommended that the Department of Plant Biology unsustainable human activities around the wetlands should be minimized to reduce further deterioration. and Biodiversity Management, Collage of Natural Sciences, Keywords: Ecosystem, habitat quality, human disturbance, nutrient recycling, physicochemical Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Introduction Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems on earth Mitsch and Gosselink (2000) [26] and provide many functions and services that are valuable to the environment and human [22] [33] wellbeing (Maltby, 2009) . According to USEPA (2002) , these functions of wetlands include: nutrient recycling, carbon sequestration, flood control, groundwater recharge/discharge, nutrient removal and habitat provision for biodiversity. Fresh water wetlands of the world provide habitat for more than 7% (126,000) of the total number of described animal species on earth (1.8 million) (Dugan 1990; Zedler and Kercher, 2005) [10, 38]. [22] Wetlands also provide socio-economic importance (Maltby, 2009) . Despite their ecosystem functions and economic values, wetlands have been degraded rapidly during the last few decades due to destructive anthropogenic activities in their catchments (MEA, 2005) [25]. As a result, more than 50% of wetlands of the world have been lost since 1900 due to rapid expansion in human population and urbanization, land use changes; drainage to agricultural use; infrastructure development; pollution from industrial effluent and agricultural runoff; overexploitation of wetland resources, introduction of invasive alien species, climate change and variability (MEA, 2005) [25]. Ethiopia is endowed with a variety of wetland ecosystems in different regions and agro [1] ecological zones (Abunie, 2003) . With the exception of coastal and marine related wetlands and extensive swamp forest complexes, all forms of wetlands are present in Ethiopia (Dixon and wood, 2003) [9]. Major rivers and lake systems, together with their associated wetlands, are fundamental parts of life interwoven into the structure and welfare of societies and natural ecosystems (Afework and Tilahun, 2015) [2]. However, the rapid human population growth, Corresponding Author: economic developments and concomitant increases of human needs put undue pressure on Habtamu Getnet wetland ecosystems, and the rate of degradation has increased over time across the country Center for Environmental (Gebre Mariam, 2002; EPA, 2004) [15, 11]. In order to fulfill the increasing human needs, Science, Collage of Natural wetlands have drained and converted to farmlands, grazing land, settlement and waste disposal Sciences, Addis Ababa area (Gebre Mariam, 2002; Desta, 2003; EPA, 2004; Tewabe, 2014; Mequanent and Sisay, University, Addis Ababa, [15, 8, 11, 32, 23] Ethiopia 2015) . ~ 130 ~ International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies http://www.fisheriesjournal.com Gilgel Abay River (GAR), which is the source of the Blue (Garg et al., 2010) [14]. Therefore, the objective of this study Nile River in Ethiopia, is one of the largest rivers which drain was to evaluate the water quality parameters and into Lake Tana and contributes more than 40% of the lake’s anthropogenic impacts on wetlands along the lower part of the water (Sewnet, 2013). The lower part of the river is associated GAR catchment with the purpose of providing appropriate with large extents of floodplain wetlands. Similar to other ecological data to the conservationist, managers, policy wetlands of Ethiopia, these wetlands provide numerous makers and other stakeholders. ecosystem services and socioeconomic benefits to the community living around the wetlands (Wondie, 2018) [35]. Materials and Methods They have also innumerable ecological role in the Study area maintenance and sustenance of the lake through filtering out This study was conducted in GAR catchment which is located of pollutants and sediments. However, the ecological in West Gojjam Zone of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. functions and services of the wetlands have not been The catchment is situated at latitudes between 10°57′– appreciated by the local communities and the local 11°54′N and longitudes 36°38′–37°23′E. The altitude of the administers as well. Rather wetlands in Ethiopia in general area ranged from 1780 m to 3528 m above sea level. The total and in the study area in particular have been considered as area coverage of the catchment is 3779.16 km2. The river waste lands and breeding sites for disease causing organisms originates from the highland spring of Gish-Abay town and like mosquito. Due to this erroneous view of wetlands terminates into Lake Tana. This catchment contributes more coupled with the rapid increase in human population and high than 40% of the volume of the Lake’s water (Sewnet, 2013) levels of poverty in the study watershed, large extents of [31]. The study area has an average annual rainfall of 1407 mm wetlands drained and converted into farmlands and settlement and mean temperature of 27 oC (National Meteorological areas (Sewnet, 2013) [31]. A great numbers of people are Agency 2019). Large extents of flood plain and palustrine moving and settling in fragile wetland areas, in search of new wetlands are distributed in the lower part of the catchment means of livelihood. Consequently, wetland resources are which have a great ecological role in the maintenance of the increasingly being degraded through various consumptive river and Lake Tana. Six wetlands (Chimba Abay, Estumit, uses (Afework and Tilahun, 2015) [2]. Ras Abay1, Ras Abay2, Debremariam and Semaitat) were Compared to other ecosystems, limited studies have been included in this study (Figure 1). These wetlands were conducted on the ecology of wetlands in Ethiopia (Abunie, selected in a targeted manner based on the surrounding land 2003; Mereta et al., 2013) [2, 24]. Similarly, the ecological use, exposure to anthropogenic activities and accessibility to status and anthropogenic impacts on wetlands along the lower quantitative study as recommended by (USEPA, 2002). part of GAR have not been studied in detail and there are no Chimba Abay and Estumit wetlands were located close to conservation measures undertaken by the community and the agricultural areas. These sites experienced a high level of government to safeguard their sustainability. Hence, there is anthropogenic activities such as farming, grazing, macrophyte no enough information about the overall wetland condition harvesting and water abstraction. Debremariam and Semaitat and its status to stakeholders. To conserve these valuable wetlands were near to Bahir Dar city. The major human resources and to prevent further deterioration, there is a need activities on these sites include grazing, waste dumping, water for regular monitoring of these ecosystems. According to abstraction, tree plantation, washing and bathing. RA1 and Ramachandran, et al. (2006) [28], water quality monitoring is RA2 were located relatively far from human settlements and the first step for the management and conservation of wetland agricultural practices; hence they are relatively less impacted ecosystems. Management of an aquatic ecosystem aims for by anthropogenic activities. The study wetlands were selected the conservation of its habitat by suitably maintaining the based on a preliminary study conducted during January, 2017. physicochemical quality of water within acceptable levels Fig 1: Map of the study area ~ 131 ~ International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies http://www.fisheriesjournal.com Sampling Design alteration, grazing, farming, etc.). The accessibility of the Based on the size of the study wetlands, 3 to 6 permanent wetland was also taken into consideration.
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