Comparative analysis of physico-chemical parameters of some river systems of Ebonyi State, Nigeria

The study comparatively analyzed the general physico-chemical parameters of five different water bodies to assess their suitability for fish production. Four water bodies (Enyigba, Mkpuma, Ameka and Ebonyi) close to quarry sites were selected while the fifth was a culture pond water which served as the control experiment. The water parameters: pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), free CO2 and transparency were examined using standard methods for 24 months. The results showed that the pattern of temperature variation in all the water bodies examined followed a similar trend with the lowest value observed between December and January. The pond water showed slightly varied pH levels compared to the natural water bodies. The DO contents of Ebonyi, Mkpuma and Enyigba were higher than those recorded from Ameke and pond. Relatively, lower concentrations of free CO2 were recorded in the pond water and Ebonyi river during the harmattan period (December to January) and below the detectable levels. The variation of Sechi disc depth was higher in Enyigba when compared with other water bodies all through the period of the experiment. The trend of transparency was the same in all the water bodies. Keywords: Physico-chemical parameters, natural water bodies, pond water, fish production, Ebonyi State