EVALUATION OF ANTHROPOGENIC ACTIVITIES IN UDYAVARA RIVER BASIN, SOUTH WEST COAST OF INDIA

B S Maddodi, Prajas, H N Udaya Shankara

Abstract: River environment is one of the highly water yielding place for present generation. It is influenced by geomorphic processes like shoreline erosion, siltation, sedimentation, flooding etc. Modification in river ecology is also influenced by the estuaries and sea. Most of the population will be alongside the river basin fetching river water for daily use. In this project work, Udyavara river basin is taken into consideration which is also prevailing at the coastal belt of Karnataka in Udupi district. Udyavara River incorporates the catchment that feed into the estuaries, coastlines and the groundwater that underlies the river basin. Increasing population, industrialization, solid waste dumping and improper sanitary conditions may contaminate the river water for future use. This study considers implementing of measures aimed at maintaining and improving the aquatic environment by restriction to adverse anthropogenic activities. Recently environmental problems have arisen in the river basin which is leading to monitoring and settling environmental objectives for groundwater and surface water pollution. The overall objective of the present study is to prevent deterioration and achieve environmental improvement. It can be concluded based on the results that environmental problems can be solved in this stage and sustainability can be achieved.

Keywords: Udyavara River Basin, anthropogenic activities, third order, riverine environment, water pollution, water quality

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2015.0408009