Seminar report

Summitted in the requirement for the course

Seminar (WRN-700)
Of
Master of technology
In
WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT
By
U. SIVARAMA KRISHNA
(Enrollment No: 24571006)
Under the guidance of
Prof. BASANT YADAV
Assistant Professor, WRDM, IIT ROORKEE

DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT

INDIAN INSTITUTION TECHNOLOGY, ROORKEE – 247667 (INDIA)

MARCH 2025

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 CANDIDATE’S DECLARATION

I, hereby declare that the work presented in this seminar report titled “understanding
the Effects of Anthropogenic Activities and Monsoon Season on Water Quality in a Lake
Cascade System in Chennai’’ is being submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement
for the award of the degree of “Master of Technology ” in water Resource Development
submitted to the Department of Water Resources Development and Management, Indian
Institute of Technology, Roorkee, under the supervision of Prof. BASANT YADAV
Department of Water Resource and Development, IIT Roorkee.

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I have not submitted any additional records for these awards of any other degree or Diploma
than those mentioned in the seminar report

Date: 29/3/25

Place: IIT Roorkee U. SIVARAMA KRISHNA

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 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the above statement made by the candidate is correct to the best of the
knowledge and belief

………………..

Prof. BASANT YADAV

Assistant Professor, WRD&M

IIT Roorkee, 247667 India

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am very grateful and pleased to extent my heartfelt gratitude and acknowledgement to the

Department of Water Resource & Development Indian Institution of Technology Roorkee

(IITR) for providing a platform for student to carry out the seminar which is one of the

frameworks in the research capacity development of every student. Moreover, I would like to

extent my deepest gratitude of Prof. BASANT YADAV my supervisor for rendering his

continue support and being grate source of encouragement. I am obliged to work under his

generous supervision and aspire work in the future as well. I also would like to extend my

sincere thanks to our professors who assist and support all the students.

U. SIVARAMA KRISHNA

Date-29/3/25

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Abstract
The most of the unusual motives that the results in the changing water inside the lakes in
Chennai Lake system structures are the runoff, urbanization and industrial pollutants makes
them the principle of pollutants responsible for the water degradation. These are the main
principle of lake in Chennai vicinity and there are also most important reservoirs, ground water
and the reality of pollutions are passed from the one place to other, and excessive
eutrophication metal on the root zone source of the problems accumulation and the aquatic
biodiversity depletion. Because it will negatively affect the people, climatic order and water
management packages, in this study concentrates on the significant situation of water best
deterioration. We need to implement the simple ecological conservation methods, regulations
and public participation in order to prevents environmental disturbances. The outcomes of the
study may also be used by the political leaders, environmentalists and researchers who are
participated in the announcement of the study to suggests the most effective course of the
action for maintaining Chennai interconnected lake ecosystem. Recharge zones that
significantly affects the sustainability of the environment. Additionally, the records that our
bodies have to deals with are an important challenge. Considering the water quality of water is
the most significant requirements among these are the knowledge of over a million of people
living in the catchment area and damaged commercial facilities are dumping waste in to the
lake. Toxics observed in lake due to human activity may be the main threat to an aquatic
environmental. The primary methods shall be employed for the initial investigation were to be
measured the PH, oxygen content, turbidity, vitamins (nitrates, phosphates) and indications of a
microbial infection. The linking of lakes is the precise cause of the extreme inconvenience that
those lake face.

Keywords: physiochemical parameters, anthropogenic activities, water quality, cascading lake,

urbanization, LULC, redundancy analysis (RDA).

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Contents
Abstrac

[Link]..............................................................................................................................9

1.1 Problem statement.............................................................................................................9

1.2 Limitation and scope.......................................................................................................10

1.3 Objectives.........................................................................................................................10

1.4 Methodology.....................................................................................................................11

2. Literature review...................................................................................................................11

2.1 Geographical overview of Chennai and water sector..................................................11

2.2 Cascading lake system difference from the normal lake to from several lakes.........12

2.3 Importance of the cascading lake system and relation to anthropogenic activities. .12

[Link] lake system and anthropogenic activities on Chennai: their impacts on the
water quality..............................................................................................................................13

4. Study area description..........................................................................................................13

4.1 Sampling...........................................................................................................................14

4.2 Analytical techniques......................................................................................................14

4.3 Parameter analysed.........................................................................................................15

4.4 Data analysis techniques.................................................................................................15

4.5 Water quality parameters...............................................................................................15

4.6 Spatial variation of water quality (upstream vs downstream lake)............................17

4.7 Monsoon influence on water quality..............................................................................17

4.8 Relationship between LULC types and water quality.................................................17

5. Results....................................................................................................................................19

6. Conclusion..............................................................................................................................20

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 Table of Figure and table
Figure 1: overall methodology of work.......................................................................................11
Figure 2: overall methodoly of work...........................................................................................11
Figure 3: anthropogenic activities...............................................................................................13
Figure 4: location of map of the study area.................................................................................14
Figure 5: seasonal variation of the parameters measured in pallikaranai catchment. from July to
december2019………………………………………………………………………………….17
Figure 6: the topographical information (A)…………………..………………………………18

Figure7: land use/land cover type(B),pallikaranai catchment and the buffer length(C)………19

Figure8: parameters spatial variation along lake flow direction of pallikaranai catchment from
July to December 2019, with the mean valve of pre monsoon dry season (in circular) and mean
valve of monsoon rainy season (diamonds)………………………………………………….20

Table: 1 sampling sites location………………………………………………………………19

[Link]
Chennai interconnected lake system is the most essential contribution to the city water safety,
flood prevention and also ecological wellbeing. Nevertheless, the progress of civilization, the
economy and the increase in the populations are undermine the water quality of the cascading
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of the lake system that the interconnected with each other (Sharma & Kanwar, 2020).
Numerous bodies of water are severely contaminated and there are also server water quality
mismatches and hydrologic process that have a apparently not been disturbed for long duration
in the lake results of the human behavior such increasing stepping, the unsuitable waste
management techniques unthreatened waste water discharge and also continuous extractions of
the ground water (Ramasamy et al., 2019). Despite being the cascading system that was the
intended for sustainability of water management, eutrophication, sedimentation as well as the
contaminated with heavy metals and toxic pollutants have emerging the main ecological
concerns (Kumar et al., 2021). The problem with the environment (Kumar et al., 2021). Even if
the peoples are using drinking, fishing and irrigating these days, these are sole sources of water,
that’s why the situation of health risk (Sivakumar & Shankar, 2022). It is the crucial not just to
realize the kind of human activities leading to the on site water quality impacts, e.g. chemical
and biological pollution, changes to water flows and erratic self-cleaning capability, as well as
the ability to use the information to generates the suitable conservation and rehabilitation
strategies (Gupta & Shukla, 2020) the goals of these study is to regard the human caused
conflicts in the lake flows through Chennai infer the corresponding outcomes of the
anthropogenic activities on the water quality and suggests the management strategies need to
repair the environment and function integrity the cascading ( Jain & Singh. 2023).

1.1 Problem statement

Chennai is the combination of lakes system earlier a well coordinately activity of natural lakes
for the human’s water use has experienced with a great deal of degradation due to the
urbanization, encroachments, pollutions and are negligence. The humans are development has
the disrupted the natural flow of water in the interlaced lakes in Chennai cascading lake system
and it may lead to lower water quality smaller storage and was greater changes the flood.
removal of waste from the water from the factories, wastewater and solid waste led to
destruction of the natural ecology and the resultant health of the lake system, with the water
and biodiversity being the main effects. Humans penetrated perspectives are the incorporated to
recognising the causes as well as the conversion planning will be undoubtedly necessary in
wrangling the adverse the effects on the human activity.

1.2 Limitation and scope

The article shared the insights from the assessment on the influence of the anthropogenic
treatment on the water quality in Chennai cascading lake. Among the source of pollution
hydrological changes, ecological impacts. It facing the several important lakes such as

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Sholavaram, red hills and chembarambakkam, to evaluated their present condition and the
restoration initiatives that have been implemented. Moreover, the investigation is made by
more challenging by the factors are like scope of government intervention, seasonal variation in
the water pollution level changes and also the availability on the water quality data. Despite the
likelihood that the management of the results will helps the water resources and conservation
strategies, during the survey and also adoption on the policy and important steps for growth to
the sustainable.

1.3 Objectives
 Evaluation of impacts on anthropogenic activities are also including the agriculture
runoff, LULC changes, urban runoff and source pollution.
 To analyzing the physical, chemical, biological on the water quality parameters on the
upstream side and downstream side.
 Assessing the temporal and spatial variation on the water quality parameters on
upstream side ad downstream side.
 To determine the water quality variation in the monsoon seasons how it will changes in
water quality.

1.4 Methodology

Seasonal assessment of cascading lake system

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 Summer Pre-Monsson Mon-soon Post Mon-soon

Digital elevation model (SRTM)

Rainfall

Land use land cover (LULC)

Sentinel Images Water Quality Analysis

Laboratory Analysis

Redundancy Analysis (RDA)

Spatial variation
Redundancy Analysis (RDA)

Temporal variation

Figure1: overall methodology of work

2. Literature review
2.1 Geographical overview of Chennai and water sector
In the Tamil Nadu regions is the coastal city of the largely reliant varies on the monsoon rains
for the water availability. Even through the some of the physiochemical have to produced the
sever effects on the water bodies later the discharge will go and no sustainability of yielding
have the major cause of the water loss in the city between the inner-city areas along with the
rising water levels in urban flooding (Gupta & Nair, 2022). Nevertheless, in these issues cloud
be addressed other manners which it was launching the projects such as desalination and also
atmospheric water harvesting programs through the Chennai metropolitan water supply and
sewerage board (CMWSSB, 2023). Additionally, the rehabilitation of the pallikaranai’s
marshes considering to implementing the new smart water project are involving to measuring
to restrengthening the capacity to respond to changes the climate it will also carry out to
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launched the aspect to affects the restore the lake system (Kumar & Divya, 2020). In the city
also improving the lake system (e.g., enhancement of the pallikaranai marshland and smart
initiatives cities) through the supports also to implements the applications of models and
policies which are facilitating the cities are change in climate resilience and improving the
lakes rehabilitation (Sharma & Joseph, 2022). In the reuse water are use higher rate in the city
it surely helps in addressing the issues of water and low expenses associated eith crating and
carry out these plans. Creating the sustainable town plan that the incorporates development of
pollution control and waste management (Jain & Singh, 2023).

2.2 Cascading lake system difference from the normal lake to from several lakes

Historical and Ecological Interconnectivity and

Importance Water Regulation:

Scale

Water Quality and Sed- Flood Mitigation

iment Control

Groundwater Recharge and

Sustainability

Figure2: factors distinguish between mormal lake and cascading lake

2.3 Importance of the cascading lake system and relation to anthropogenic activities
In the linear lake cascading system in Chennai is essential tools for managing the water
resources management of the city, which it will also becoming the pressing due to the facts that
was urbanization, industrialization and increasing the population growth are exerting the over
pressure on the natural ecosystem (Sharma & Kanwar, 2020). To control the flooding using
various lake system, ground water recharge and also balancing the ecological but human
activity like that human settlement pollutions and over exploitation has causing the lakes are
heavily degrading (Ramasamy et al., 2019). The process of change the land use patteren to
increase the city denser has destroyed the natural continuity of lakes, it will effects the
recharge, storage and distribution (Gupta & Nair,2022). To clean the lakes to preserving and
their bringing the innovation agricultures and fishing livelihood in the sustainable manner is
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essential (Kumar & Divya,.2020). and also the changing the climate conditions like flooding is
increases throughout the unpredictable area has been facing the extreme weather events of
actions like preserving the lake system will facing the flooding and drought (Vijay &
Srinivasan, 2021). Without any action the climate will be invaded by the civilization is to be
done it will cause the severe scarcity of water and inefficient and insecurity in the city like
Chennai (Jain & Singh, 2023).

[Link] lake system and anthropogenic activities on Chennai: their impacts on the
water quality
Chennai has the lake systems are well planned system of the recharge in the ground water,
flood management and water storage that was more polluting by the humans these was the
main cause. It was globally it was unrecoverable loss corruption have the accompanied the
rapid urbanization and intensification on the factories are existing and the natural rises of the
people and homes due to encroachment are contamination of these network water bodies are
misusing them. The consequences of these human activities on the water quality and its fatal
results on the water are contaminants by toxic chemical and water as well as due to the fault
nutrient cycle, causing the eutrophication oxygen deficiency and it will end the situations un
ecological health.

Figure 3: anthropogenic activities

4. Study area description

Potential floods brought on such artificial lakes include a substantial topic for study. These
lakes further worsen the water condition via the absorption of various toxic pollutants such as
heavy metals and antibiotics. Chennai's lakes serve as the main source of water storage. system
and have a detrimental impact on aquatic life as well. As a result, it is not surprising that they
have the highest sno-2 levels of outstanding environmental intolerance and biodiversity
richness. Wildlife can be found in the lake creeks' interlocking wet areas. that is purple, blue,
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and amber in color and about a kilometer long color. Methods for Collecting Information
Water samples gathered during the course of year 2019 were obtained from different sections of
the water network (pre, during, and post monsoon) to help in the study of the lake network on
the eco-impact of different seasons. Collecting of Data Methods Water samples were sampled
across different sites of the fall and data was collected during different times of the year across
different spatial contexts. the data also was taken at predetermined points during the pre-
monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon seasons.

[Link]
Figure 4: location of map of the study area
4.1 Sampling
 Frequency During the thirty dates of July to December 2019 once a month Locations.
 The upstream and downstream elements of Lake's water system Tasimiruwa as a system
of lakes. Parameters Analyzed.
 Chemical (pH, dissolved), physical (temperature, turbidity) oxygen, nutrients, heavy
metals), and biological (chlorophyll-a, microbial content).

4.2 Analytical techniques

In the laboratory, the methods employed included chemical and biological parameters for water
samples. Of course, the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) was made for spatial

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assessment. The method called Redundancy Analysis (RDA) was followed to establish the
correlation of water quality changes to environmental factors.

4.3 Parameter analysed

Physical: Temperature, turbidity, discharge of dissolved oxygen (DO). Chemical: phytic acid
(due to it being able to bind with chemicals to form other chemicals) and electrical conductivity
(EC), chemical oxygen demand (COD) or biological oxygen demand (BOD) are the result of
the primary production and respiration of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus; with other
nutrients like nickel or aluminum being a byproduct or precursor of the production of these two
Biological: The bacteria present being the main concerns, they create a lot of problems
especially in aquariums. Next, the expansion of algae will be the next consequence of this, if
you don't get them under control then watering and pH and Temperature levels are also going to
be affected.

4.4 Data analysis techniques

Redundancy Analysis (RDA): With this, a further step could also be implemented which helps
to see the dependence of the water quality on land use and cover type. The first step in
performing the data analysis will be extraction of relevant information. It is the essential
technique for methodically gathering, processing, and interpreting, and visualizing data to find
solutions to scientific and business problems. All of these are the examples of techniques that
are used for the analyzing data in a business or technical context. Every technique uses
statistical analysis, machine learning, and data mining analysis and predictive modelling.

4.5 Water quality parameters

Physical: The physical water quality parameters are temperature, turbidity, and electrical
conductivity. Chemical: The chemical markers are dissolved solids and pH of water quality
oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrogen
compounds (nitrate, phosphate, and ammonia), and heavy metals (lead, mercury, arsenic). On
the other hand, biological: The biological parameters of water quality are chlorophyll-a total
coliforms, and E. coli levels. Seasonal Variation: Water quality exhibited fluctuation quite
often. It usually improved during the period of frequent rainfall (in the monsoon season) but
decreased in the dry season (from July to September). The increasing dilution of monsoon rains
is believed to be a contributing factor to the improvement. Spatial Variation: Downstream lakes
were found to have lower nutrient loads due to better water quality than those near the source.
Still, pollution near urban developments and agricultural lands caused the nutrient levels to be
high, the fact that points out the negative influence from these land uses. Land Use Influence:

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The types of land use within the 500-meter and 1000-meter radius around the lakes accounted
for the 27.8% and 42.7% of the differences in water quality, respectively. Specifically, urban
areas, croplands, and woodlands were identified as places with a drop in water quality, while
grasslands turned out to be a place with an increase in water quality, which contributed to the
better water quality.

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 [Link]

Figure 5: seasonal variation of the parameters measured in pallikaranai catchment. from July to
december2019.
4.6 Spatial variation of water quality (upstream vs downstream lake)
Only during the dry season did upstream lakes exhibit poorer water quality season (July to
September). Clearly, elevated nutrient concentrations may be linked to with the lower water
levels and higher pollution content. Downstream Lakes: This showed better water quality
especially during the rainy season (October to December). Monsoon rainfall's effect on
pollutant removal was the primary reason why the water became better.

4.7 Monsoon influence on water quality

The study's conclusions show that during the monsoon season (September to October), the
heavy rain substantially improved the water quality by diluting pollutants and lowering nutrient
concentrations. On the contrary, the pre-monsoon season (July to August) had worse water
quality because of the decreased water table and the growth of pollutants. The post-monsoon
period (November to December) continued to be in a favorable position due to the consistent
water supplies. The results suggest that monsoonal rains are the most important natural
regulators of water quality, thus the recognition of proper water resource management
strategies, which will safely support the ecosystems, are essential to consider the seasonal
differences.

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4.8 Relationship between LULC types and water quality
how water quality and land use/cover types are related. The study found that within the 500-
meter and 1000-meter buffer zones, land use was responsible for 27.8% and 42.7% of the
variation in water quality respectively, thus, the considerable The surrounding geography'
impact on aquatic habitats was displayed Urban locations as well as crop fields were
responsible for greater nutrient releases, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, because of the
discharge of wastewater, industrial runoff, and the application of fertilizers, which eventually
led to water quality degradation. However, grasslands and the natural vegetation they
symbolized would bring about the intended results through the removal of the pollutants and
the improvement of water clarity. The study also highlighted that higher altitude lakes, which
were more affected by urban expansion, had worse water quality than lower altitude lakes,
which naturally had dilution help mitigate pollution levels.

[Link]

Figure 6: the topographical information (A)

Table: 1 sampling sites location

Site Name

1 Chitlapakkam

2 Selaiyur

3 Rajakilpakkam

4 Sembakkam

5 Nanmangalam

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 6 Keeltakatalai

7 narayanapuram

8 Okkiyam maduvu

[Link]

Figure7: land use/land cover type(B),pallikaranai catchment and the buffer length(C)

5. Results
Water quality which was influenced by the seasonal variability was shown to be remarkably
monsoonal. Space differences have resulted in the discovery of pollution hotspots which are
quite significant in the area of downstream. Industrial and domestic wastewater effluents which
are one of the major causes of water pollution were found to be so. There was a noticeable drop
in the quality of the water by the use of the land.

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 [Link]

Figure8: parameters spatial variation along lake flow direction of pallikaranai catchment from
July to December 2019, with the mean valve of pre monsoon dry season (in circular) and mean
valve of monsoon rainy season (diamonds).

6. Conclusion
In Chennai, there are many man-made lake cascade systems but, is primarily affected by human
activity, the seasons, and change in land use, and they all affect water quality. Urban

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development, runoff from agriculture, and the garbage tossed into water bodies have caused
them to be highly impaired, especially in the high nutrient-loaded areas of the upstream part,
and their degradation has been significant. On the other hand, the southern part benefits from
the dilution of the waste, but still, there is contamination risk, although it is less. The
relationship between the area's land usage and water quality is the main reason for this and
therefore the need to manage the vegetative areas with the intention of maintaining the
ecological condition's equilibrium. Wastewater treatment needs to be effective in order to get
past these challenges land-use regulations have to be more strident and pollution control has to
be undertaken. Some important tools of sustainable city planning are integrating different
approaches and using the community to implement the plans of ecosystem-driven scenario
making. They also contribute to flood control and water resources prevention.

References
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case study of Chennai. Journal of Urban Planning and Development, 148(3), 05022015.
3. CMWSSB. (2023). Annual report on water management initiatives. Chennai Metropolitan
Water Supply and Sewerage Board.
4. Singh, V. P., & Sharma, N. (2019). Hydrological connectivity in lake systems: A review.
Journal of Hydrology, 578, 124012.
5. Vijay, R., & Srinivasan, V. (2021). Monsoon dependency and water security in coastal cities:
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6. Kumar, P., & Divya, S. (2020). Restoration of urban wetlands: A case study of Pallikaranai
Marshland, Chennai. Wetlands Ecology and Management, 28(5), 745-759.
7. Ramasamy, S. M., Vijay, T., & Shankar, G. (2019). Impact of urbanization on hydrological
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