Spatial and temporal variations in the water quality parameters of Pulicat Lake, Tamil Nadu, India

The spatial and temporal variations in water quality were assessed in Pulicat lake during 2011 and 2012 to evaluate the status of the estuarine water. Among the physical parameters studied, only turbidity recorded high values. Chemical parameters exhibited variations between stations among the two years of study. There was an increase in the values of BOD, COD, TDS and TH. These indicate that there was an increase in pollutants reaching the estuary, probably due to the discharge of three seasonal rivers that open in to the lake and the Buckingham canal that brings in industrial and domestic waste.