Assessment of Dissolved Oxygen for Assimilative Capacity

A natural riverine environment involves various biological and physicochemical processes. System variables involving hydraulic characteristics (bed sediment load and discharge), sunlight variations, and temperature changes give a brief understanding, regarding the complexities of natural river systems. Various scenario-based analyses for a number of alternative’s can be carried out by using modern hydrological process models which also integrate water quality parameters along the river stretches. In the present study, the determination of dissolved oxygen (DO) between the stretches of the Ganges basin (Haridwar to Garhmukhteshwar) has been investigated by modeling the dissolved oxygen using Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Non-point Sources (BASINS) and Hydrological Simulation Program–FORTRAN (HSPF). Mean dissolved oxygen is been simulated, and assessment for assimilative capacity at Haridwar has revealed that 3.12 mg/L. of dissolved oxygen should be present in the effluent in order to satisfy the class B norms for designated use.