The Effect of Flood Regime on Water Quality and Plankton Distribution in Bosso Area, Minna, Niger State

Abstract

Flooding endangers lives and property, and it can lead to surface water pollution, reducing access to potable water and destroying wildlife habitats. This study investigated the effect of flood on water quality and plankton in two selected water bodies in within Minna Metropolis, Niger state, Nigeria. Water samples were collected for physicochemical parameters and plankton identification using standard methods and procedures. Samples were collected for a period of six (6) months (April to September 2021). The result of the physiochemical parameters showed temperature (26.0-28.5°C), flow velocity (0.23 to 0.26 m/s), dissolved oxygen (6.4-10.0mg/l), turbidity (30-240 NTU), pH (7.21-7.53), TSS (0.04-0.04), electrical conductivity (69-228 µS/cm) and total dissolved solid (60-220 mg/l). Most of these parameters were within the WHO permissible limits. From all the parameters measured, temperature, DO, pH and TSS showed no significance difference (p>0.05) between the water bodies while turbidity, total alkalinity, electrical conductivity and total dissolved solid exhibit significant difference (p<0.05) between the water bodies with Fadipe Pool recording higher values in most of the parameters. A total of 12 phytoplankton species were identified comprising of 3 families which are Bacillariophyceae (2), Chlorophyceae (6), and Cyanophyceae (4). For the zooplankton, a total of 11 species are made up of 3 taxa which are Cladocera (4), Copepoda (2), and Rotifera (5). In this study, several plankton species that serve as indicator organisms were identified which is indication of a disturbed water bodies.