Preliminary Report on Investigation of Fish Kill in Hamilton Canal
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Preliminary Report on Investigation of Fish Kill in Hamilton Canal National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency May 2019 1 Contents 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 3 2. Background ................................................................................................................................... 3 3. Objectives ...................................................................................................................................... 4 4. Site Description ............................................................................................................................ 5 5. Methodology ................................................................................................................................. 6 5.1 Sample collection and laboratory analysis ............................................................................. 6 6. Results and Discussion ................................................................................................................ 9 6.1 Field Observations: .............................................................................................................. 9 6.2 Results and Discussion ............................................................................................................ 12 7. Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 17 8. Recommendations ...................................................................................................................... 17 Contributors ........................................................................................................................................ 19 References ........................................................................................................................................... 17 List of Tables Table 1: Description of the sampling locations ...................................................................................... 6 Table 2: The parameters studied and methods used................................................................................ 8 Table 3: Results of the water quality of first field inspection on 29/4/2019 ........................................ 12 List of Figures Figure 1 : Map of the Hamilton Canal .................................................................................................... 4 Figure 2: Sampling locations ................................................................................................................. 7 Figure 3: Sampling points of the sub canal ............................................................................................. 7 Figure 4: The water has become dark Black in colour........................................................................... 9 Figure 5: Dead fish near the canal .......................................................................................................... 9 Figure 6: Leachate filtering system ....................................................................................................... 10 Figure 7: Muthurajawela waste dumping site ................................................................................. 10 Figure 8: Leachate from the waste ........................................................................................................ 10 Figure 9: Canal which connect to the dumping site and stay as stagnant with full of garbage ............. 11 Figure 10: Sub canal which accumulate the leachate from the dumping site ....................................... 11 Figure 11 : Outlet from the “ Proposed 10 MW Colombo Waste to Energy Project” site.................... 12 Figure 12: Cast Net with the black colour bottom sediments of the Hamilton Canal ........................... 12 1. Introduction The preliminary investigation study of the fish kill in Hamilton Canal was carried out by Environmental Studies Division together with Inland Aquatic Resources and Aquaculture Division of National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), on 29th April 2019 as per the request of general public and the instructions given by Chairman / NARA. The second field visit was conducted for further investigations as per the request of Divisional Secretariat, Wattala Provincial Council on 6th May 2019. This report comprises the results of initial field observations, water quality analysis, conclusion and important recommendations. 2. Background Fish kill incident in Hamilton canal was reported on 29th April 2019 to NARA by several government officials and general public. Hamilton canal is also known as Dutch canal starts from the Kelani river estuary at Elakanda, Hendala in Colombo North and ends at Puttalam with more than 120 km long. The Portuguese constructed the original canal in the 17th century after that Dutch East India Company who expanded the canal, in the next century (Wijesinghe, 2016). It is said that Dutch settlers also used the canal to transport pearls and spices from the north to Colombo. When the island was under British rule, a new Colombo- Negombo canal was built and commissioned and named, the Hamilton Canal in 1804, after the well-known English civil servant Garvin Hamilton (Wijesinghe, 2016). This fish kill incident had happened in Elakanda (Hekitta) to Negombo lagoon section (approx. 14.5 km long) of the Hamilton canal along Canal Road, passing Dikkovita, Muthurajawela, Uswetakeiyawa and Pamunugama. (Retrieved from Wijesinghe, 2016) Figure 1 : Map of the Hamilton Canal 3. Objectives The objectives of the study were to investigate the causes of fish kill in Hamilton canal, understand the prevailing condition of the environment and provide recommendations for future remedial actions in order to avoid such situation. 4. Site Description Hamilton canal is a manmade canal which connects Kelani River mouth with Negombo Estuary and located parallel to the western coast line of Sri Lanka. This canal forms the western boundary of a wetland known as Muthurajawela marsh (Dassanayake, 1993). Canal has been renovated in length of 3 Km from Elakanda. It reaches Muthurajawela march about 6 Km from Elaknada. Muthurajawela is an important wetland in 10-30 km north of Colombo which represents a large area of brakish water marshes, which is ecologically interdependent with Negombo lagoon. The study of Bambaradeniya et al., 2000 enabled to identify 192 species of flora, distributed over seven major vegetation communities at Muthurajawela; marsh, lentic flora, reed swamp, short grassland, scrubland, stream bank flora and mangrove swamp. The vertebrate fauna documented in the above study included 40 species of fish, 14 species of amphibians, 31 species of reptiles, 102 species of birds and 22 species of mammals (Bambaradeniya et al., 2000). Mudiyansage Ela encounters which flows inland and connects with the Hamilton Canal in Muthurajawela area. There are sub-surface drains as well as several sub canals coming from land side connecting to the canal. The bank of the canal is populated mostly by fishing community. Several industrial factories and organizations also located bordering the area including Kerawalapitiya Industrial Zone, Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminal Limited (CPSTL) Muthurajawela, etc. Also, Hamilton canal has been influenced by the Kelani-Maha Oya estuaries and Negombo lagoon estuary which in turn contaminated heavily due to increasing trend in anthropogenic activities in the surrounding area (Chandrasekara et al., 2018). 5. Methodology During the field investigations, total of eight sampling locations were selected and the methods of sample collection, transport, storage and analysis of physico- chemical parameters were tested in conformity with the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Waste Water (22nd Edition, 2012). In addition to that, field investigation team had several discussions with the people in adjacent areas. Field observations were also made in the vicinity to get aware about the surrounding environment of the Hamilton Canal. 5.1 Sample collection and laboratory analysis Table 1: Description of the sampling locations Sampling Latitude Longitude Description Location HC 1 7° 1'7.50"N 79°52'0.60"E Hamilton canal at Dikkowita, Dead fish seen HC 2 7° 2'10.70"N 79°51'51.50"E Hamilton canal at Uswetakeiyawa, Dead fish seen HC 3 7° 3'13.80"N 79°51'36.90"E Hamilton canal at Bopitiya near Steel Factory, Dead fish seen HC 4 7° 0'7.20"N 79°52'13.50"E Hamilton canal at Elakanda HC 5 7° 0'54.44"N 79°52'10.89"E Sub canal connected to the Hamilton canal HC 6 7° 0'52.80"N 79°52'2.68"E Discharge point of the sub canal HC 7 7° 0'53.00"N 79°52'3.44"E Hamilton canal at Dikkowita, this location receives water from the sub canal HC 8 7° 2'50.40"N 79°51'42.90"E Hamilton canal at Nugape Junction Figure 2: Sampling locations Figure 3: Sampling points of the sub canal Table 2: The parameters studied and methods used Parameter Principle Methodology Water temperature Thermometric EUTECH CyberScan 600 pH/mV Meter pH Potentiometric EUTECH CyberScan 600 pH/mV Meter Dissolved Oxygen Electrometric YSI ProODO Optical Dissolved Oxygen Meter Salinity - Refractometer Electrical Conductivity Electrometric HANNA HI-8633N Multi-range Conductivity Meter Turbidity Nephelometric EUTECH digital turbidity meter method Total Suspended Solids Gravimetric 2540 D Total Suspended Solids