KANHARGAOV RESERVOIR

A view on the lake

Photo.
Photo: K.S.Unni


A. LOCATION

  • Madhya Pradesh, India.
  • 22:05N, 78:45E; 717 m above sea level.

B. DESCRIPTION

    Kanhargaov Reservoir is located in Chhindwara district near the southern boundary of the province of Madhya Pradesh, Central India. The district is well known for its coal mines which have been producing coal during the past half century. This area is hilly with undulating topography, belonging to Mahadeo Range of Saptura Mountains and reaching a height range of 1,000 1,500 m above sea level both to the north and in the southern part of the district.
    The reservoir, the largest one in the district, was constructed in 1986 at a cost of 14 million rupees by impounding the River Kulbehra which is a tributary of the Pench River (in the Godavari River system) originating from the central plateau of the district. The dam site is at a distance of 25 km from Chhindwara town, and the reservoir serves as the main source of drinking water for the town.

C. PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS

    Surface area [km2] 6.1
    Volume [km3] 0.0281
    Maximum depth [m] 20.9
    Water level Regulated
    Normal range of annual water level fluctuation [m] 2 4
    Length of shoreline [km] 18.6
    Catchment area [km2] 108

D. PHYSIOGRAPHIC FEATURES

D1 GEOGRAPHICAL
  • Number of main islands: None.
  • Number of outflowing rivers and channels (name)
    2 (R. Kulbehra, a canal for drinking water supply).
D2 CLIMATIC (Q)
  • Climatic data at Chhindwara, 1991
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Ann.
    Mean temp. [deg C] 15 18 20.5 29.5 35 28.5 25 26 28 25.5 18.5 15.5 23.8
    Precipitation [mm] - 6 28 - - 63 269 282 - - 23 - 671+
  • Water temperature [deg C]
    Deepest point, 1990 1992
    Depth [m] Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    0 22.5 23.2 24.5 29.7 28.0 29.0 28.0 28.2 30.0 29.5 24.0 22.6
    0.5 22.0 22.5 24.2 29.0 27.7 28.2 27.0 27.8 29.0 28.2 26.4 21.5
    1 21.5 21.7 23.5 28.5 27.2 27.7 27.0 27.2 28.7 27.7 23.0 21.2
    3 21.0 21.0 22.0 28.0 27.0 27.2 26.7 26.8 28.2 26.5 22.8 21.1
    6 20.5 20.2 21.7 27.5 26.7 27.0 26.5 25.8 26.2 26.0 22.0 20.0
    9 20.0 20.0 21.0 26.5 26.2 26.7 25.5 25.2 25.7 25.5 21.3 20.0
    12 19.0 19.2 20.2 25.5 - - - 24.7 25.7 24.5 19.6 19.2
  • Freezing period: None.
  • Mixing type: Polymictic.
  • Notes on water mixing and thermocline formation
    The reservoir lacks a true thermocline. Thermal gradient is poorly developed and ill defined as in other tropical type reservoirs.

E. LAKE WATER QUALITY (Q)

E1 TRANSPARENCY [m] (1990) (1991)
    Depth [m] Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    - 0.65 0.55 0.60 0.80 0.80 0.30 0.35 0.55 0.80 0.85 0.80
    Depth [m] Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    0.85 0.95 1.00 1.00 1.10 1.05 0.80 0.40 0.65 0.80 1.05 1.00
E2 pH
    Deepest point, 1990 1992
    Depth [m] Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    0 8.30 8.00 8.15 8.40 8.25 8.25 7.75 8.20 8.30 8.25 8.30 8.30
    0.5 8.30 8.07 7.98 8.25 8.22 8.20 7.80 8.25 8.30 8.30 8.35 8.30
    1 8.20 7.95 7.82 8.22 8.16 8.15 7.50 8.21 8.30 8.25 8.00 8.19
    3 8.20 7.97 7.82 8.18 8.13 8.09 7.45 8.19 8.25 8.21 7.94 8.15
    6 8.15 7.96 7.71 8.12 8.12 8.05 7.35 8.15 8.22 8.15 7.82 8.10
    9 8.12 7.89 7.66 8.12 8.10 8.03 7.30 8.02 8.15 8.12 7.75 8.08
    12 8.10 7.80 7.63 8.50 7.90 8.01 7.10 7.92 8.10 8.02 7.70 8.10
E4 DO [mg l-1]
    Deepest point, 1990 1992
    Depth [m] Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    0 11.27 11.31 9.57 9.08 8.53 8.59 8.92 8.84 9.30 10.39 10.78 10.83
    0.5 11.49 10.68 9.89 9.93 8.85 8.92 10.23 9.16 9.88 9.14 9.80 10.02
    1 8.87 9.45 9.03 8.59 8.62 8.50 8.91 8.04 8.48 8.80 9.07 8.91
    3 6.80 7.43 7.71 7.41 7.82 8.34 7.73 6.70 7.11 6.45 6.56 6.29
    6 6.68 6.44 7.65 6.69 6.24 5.80 5.96 6.01 5.74 4.92 5.47 5.30
    9 4.90 6.22 7.00 5.30 5.53 5.40 5.36 5.72 3.39 3.55 4.21 4.21
    12 4.92 5.69 5.80 4.42 4.59 4.70 5.56 4.57 3.33 3.33 3.45 3.88
E7 NITROGEN CONCENTRATION
  • NH4-N [micro l-1]
    Deepest point, 1990 1992
    Depth [m] Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    0 250 230 200 245 290 345 425 450 310 225 345 275
    0.5 275 250 210 250 305 400 400 415 310 250 305 285
    1 215 245 162 260 305 390 410 420 310 242 275 230
    3 210 255 225 285 295 390 385 405 310 240 240 205
    6 205 225 210 280 300 390 425 340 305 240 245 210
    9 205 215 205 270 255 425 450 445 320 225 215 210
    12 200 215 200 272 270 500 490 460 290 240 210 205
  • NO3-N [micro l-1]
    Deepest point, 1990 1992
    Depth [m] Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    0 285 240 207 203 205 295 390 385 290 203 300 230
    0.5 310 280 175 213 227 287 350 390 295 205 267 260
    1 250 217 180 210 245 325 390 325 252 205 245 230
    3 220 275 227 207 230 325 360 350 257 202 202 210
    6 230 237 222 215 260 360 325 347 262 203 202 200
    9 205 242 230 210 240 360 365 360 295 202 205 190
    12 210 232 205 207 270 335 400 405 250 205 202 390
E8 PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATION
  • PO4-P [micro l-1]
    Deepest point, 1990 1992
    Depth [m] Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    0 65 63 40 51 80 93 110 180 100 95 80 77
    0.5 70 60 42 57 80 82 100 170 90 85 70 70
    1 65 71 42 60 68 80 138 185 95 82 65 65
    3 65 62 46 50 80 88 130 185 100 82 55 55
    6 55 45 45 60 75 95 82 170 100 80 60 60
    9 70 37 45 45 78 100 130 175 100 82 60 65
    12 70 41 42 55 70 100 160 165 105 95 75 68

F. BIOLOGICAL FEATURES (Q)

F1 FLORA
  • Emerged macrophytes: None.
  • Floating macrophytes: None.
  • Submerged macrophytes
    Hydrilla verticillata, Najas minor, Chara sp., Potamogeton crispus, Vallisneria spiralis.
  • Phytoplankton
    Cyanophyceae (Raphidiopsis (dominant throughout the year), Microcystis, Anabaena, Anabaenopsis, Oscillatoria, Spirulina, Merismopedia), Chlorophyceae (Spirogyra, Pediastrum strumeri, P. ovatum, P. simplex, Cosmarium, Scenedesmus dimorphus, S. bijuga, Botryococcus, Staurastrum, Chlorella, Phytoconis, Selenastrum), Bacillariophyceae (Nitzschia palea, N. acicularis, Navicula, Cymbella affinis, C. ventricosa, Melosira, Cyclotella, Synedra, Amphora, Gomphonema).
F2 FAUNA
  • Zooplankton
    Rotifera (Keratella vulga, K. longiseta, K. cochlearis, K. quadrata, K. serrulata, K. erilina, K. stipitata K. faculatus, Brachionus plicatalis, B. calyciflorus, B. angularis, B. quadridentatus, B. bidentata B. falcatus, Notholca acuminata, Monostyla spp., Trichocerca spp., Filinia spp.), Copepoda (Diaptomus, Cyclops), Cladocera (Daphnia dubia, D. pulex, D. ambigua, D. magna, Diaphanosoma, Sida crystallina, Moina branchiata, Bosmina longirostris, B. coregoni, Alona monocantha, A. intermedia, A. affinis, Alonella).
  • Fish
    Labeo rohita, L. calbasu, Cirrhina mrigala, Puntius sophore, Wallogonia attu, Channa punctatus, Catla catla.
F3 PRIMARY PRODUCTION RATE [g C m-2 day 1]
    Deepest point, 1990 1992
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    Net production 1.04 1.18 0.93 0.93 1.34 0.80 1.14 1.57 1.54 2.65 1.35 0.82
    Dark respiration 1.09 1.15 0.95 0.92 0.83 0.64 0.73 1.11 0.82 1.09 1.55 0.92
    Gross production 2.13 2.33 1.87 1.85 2.17 1.44 1.87 2.68 2.37 3.74 2.89 1.73
F4 BIOMASS
  • Biomass of phytoplankton [103 cells l-1]
    Deepest point, 1990 1991
    D* Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    0 26.72 28.64 30.20 21.08 21.11 35.06 20.36 43.64 61.70 88.68 55.82 25.10
    0.5 16.42 20.11 48.93 28.92 33.04 67.20 47.32 44.68 22.38 29.74 55.86 14.40
    1 4.13 33.35 49.54 37.18 32.78 46.96 37.02 87.18 56.27 69.94 62.76 2.10
    3 1.60 7.41 7.23 2.09 3.49 40.72 9.84 45.37 32.53 47.59 9.90 1.06
    6 1.06 7.03 9.08 1.58 3.49 63.02 34.35 - - 63.57 8.90 0.83
    9 0.31 1.53 8.54 - - - - - - 37.88 1.05 1.9
    12 - 0.84 - - - - - - - - - -
    * Depth. [m]
  • Biomass of zooplankton [ind. l-1]
    Deepest point, 1990 1992
    Depth [m] Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    0 882 1,410 1,936 1,622 228 193 110 275 514 453 436 367
    0.5 1,945 2,155 2,750 2,540 1,103 1,054 576 776 1,975 2,098 1,327 719
    1 1,066 1,345 1,598 1,150 367 400 260 420 1,390 1,570 890 639
    3 335 450 750 567 214 301 200 310 865 995 373 366
    6 100 100 126 115 65 135 54 123 353 373 68 115
    9 11 13 5 - - 15 - 17 - 35 - 20
    12 - - - - - - - - - - - -

G. SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS (Q)

G1 LAND USE IN THE CATCHMENT AREA (1992)
  • Main kinds of crops: Maize, sorghum, wheat, ground nut, vegetables.
  • Levels of fertilizer application on crop fields: Moderate.
  • Trend of change in land use in recent years: None.

H. LAKE UTILIZATION (Q)

H1 LAKE UTILIZATION
    Source of water and fisheries.
H2 THE LAKE AS WATER RESOURCE (1992)
    Use rate [m3 day 1]
    Domestic 11.5
    Irrigation For 2,900 ha

I. DETERIORATION OF LAKE ENVIRONMENTS AND HAZARDS (Q)

I1 ENHANCED SILTATION
  • Extent of damage: Serious.
  • Supplementary notes
    At the time of completion of the reservoir construction in 1986, the maximum height of the dam was 20.9 m. The present maximum depth at the deepest point (12 m) shows that rapid siltation is filling the reservoir.
I3 EUTROPHICATION
  • Nuisance caused by eutrophication: None.
I4 ACIDIFICATION
  • Extent of damage: None.

J. WASTEWATER TREATMENTS (Q)

J1 GENERATION OF POLLUTANTS IN THE CATCHMENT AREA
    (f) Significant pollution without wastewater treatment. Agricultural runoff is polluting the river.

K. IMPROVEMENT WORKS IN THE LAKE (Q)

    None.

L. DEVELOPMENT PLANS (Q)

    None.

N. SOURCES OF DATA

  1. Questionnaire filed by Prof. K. S. Unni, Hydrobiology Laboratory, Botany Department, Govt. P. G. College, Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, India.
  2. Fole, A. (1993) Hydrobiological studies of Kanhargaov Reservoir, Dist. Chhindwara, M. P. Ph. D thesis submitted to Dr. H. S. Gour, University, Sagar.