Material Flux through the Karnaphuli River

S R C HOWDHURY1 , N MAHMOOD2, M M UDDIN3 , A S M SHARIF3 AND M S ULLAH3 Assistant Professor, 2 Professor, 3 Research Associate Institute of Marine Sciences, Chittagong University, Chittagong-4331, Bangladesh
E-mail: sayedurrchy@yahoo.com
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Keywords: Material flux, Karnaphuli estuary, Bangladesh

Abstract
Karnaphuli river originates in the Lusai hills of Assam, India and empties into the Bay of Bengal through the north-eastern part of Bangladesh. During its course through Bangladesh it is dammed for hydroelectric power generation forming an artificial hill-bound lake. At the downstream reaches, it receives water from two major perennial tributaries and numerous other streams. Watershed is characterized by mainly derelict or cultivated hills and foothills, and human settlement areas with agricultural fields. In the estuarine reaches it is receiving untreated municipal and industrial wastes from Chittagong City and other types of pollutants from harbor and other activities. The current research examines the state of the major Nitrogen and Phosphorus species of nutrients in the lower reaches of the river heavily stressed by human activities. LOICZ recommended modelling approach is adopted to budget these nutrients and other materials. The model reveals that the estuary is a heterotrophic and denitrifying ecosystem.

The study area

Karnaphuli is one of the most important rivers of the eastern part of Bangladesh. It originates in the Lusai hills of Assam, India and enters into Bangladesh through its eastern boundary. In the hilly upstream reaches it has been dammed for generating hydroelectric power giving rise to an artificial lake. The controlled flow in the downstream receives freshwater flows from two major perennial rivers, i.e., the Halda and Ichhamati. Watersheds of these rivers comprise mainly of croplands and human settlement. Further downstream, it forms the estuary before emptying into the Bay of Bengal through the Chittagong coast. The city of Chittagong lies on the right bank of this river. Lower part of Karnaphuli river receives huge municipal and industrial wastes into the system.
Figure 1: Map showing the budget site - Karnaphuli River estuary
Halda River
26 N

24

23

Inner
Chittagong City Karnaphuli River

22

88

89

90

91E

Outer

BAY OF BENGAL

km

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In: Assessment of material fluxes to the coastal zone in South Asia and their impacts, APN/SASCOM/LOICZ Workshop 8-11 December 2002, Negombo, Sri Lanka

A material flux study in the Karnaphuli River estuary has been started and expected to be carried out for at least two consecutive seasonal cycles covering premonsoon, monsoon and postmonsoon seasons. This paper presents interim budgets of water, salt and nutrients for this estuary for the late monsoon season using the LOICZ Biogeochemical Modelling Guidelines (Gordon et al, 1996) based on preliminary field work and analyses accomplished so far. A 17.5 km 2 segment of the estuary with an average depth of about 10m is selected for the present study (Figure 1).

Sampling and analysis

Inner and outer segments of the Karnaphuli River estuary were sampled during the late monsoon of 2002 for nutrients (NO3-, NO 2-, NH 4+, PO4- and SiO 2-) and other water quality parameters as a part of an ongoing material flux study. Water samples were collected, preserved, transported and analyzed following standard procedure (Barnes, 1959; Strickland and Parsons, 1965; Parsons and Stickland, 1968; APHA, 1975; Jin-Eong et al, 1985). Average from several samples for each parameter was used in this budgeting exercise. Rainfall data were collected from Bangladesh Meteorological Department and discharge values were interpolated from a previous work in the same estuary (Monwar, 2001). Evaporation was calculated from other atmospheric data. Rainfall, estimated evaporation and interpolated discharge were 83.52, 34.26 and 6.47 million m3/day respectively. Groundwater exchange and outfall were assumed to be negligible. Salinity and nutrient data used in this budgeting exercise are shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Chemical composition of water samples from Karnaphuli river estuary Salinity ppt 3.92 17.9 DIP mmol/m 3 293.92 179.44 NO3 mmol/m3 4.93 6.16 NO2 mmol/m 3 0.73 0.44 NH4 + mmol/m 3 1.71 1.04 DIN mmol/m 3 7.37 7.64

Inner segment Outer segment

Water and salt budget

No significant vertical stratification in salinity was observed and a single layer system is conceived. Results of the water and salt budgeting are shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Water and salt budget for the Karnaphuli River estuary VP = 4.85 VE = -1.58
VRSR = -35.7 VR = -3.28 VSyst = 175 VG = V O = 0 (assumed) VQ = 0.003 SOuter = 17.9 SSyst = 3.92 SQ = 0 VGSG = 0

VX(S Outer-SSyst) = +35.7 VX = 2.56

NP budget
The one layer single box DIP and DIN budgets for the Karnaphuli River estuary system are shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3: DIP (left) and DIN (right) budget for the Karnaphuli River estuary (fluxes in 106 mmol/day)
DIP atm = 0 (assumed) VR DIP R = -775 DIP Syst = 293.92 mmol/m3 DIP Q = 0 V Q DIP Q = 0 V G DIP G = V Q DIP Q = 0 (assumed) V R DIN R = -24.6 DIN Syst = 7.37 mmol/m3 DIN atm = 0 (assumed) DIN Q = 0 V Q DIN Q = 0 V G DIN G = V Q DIN Q = 0 (assumed)

DIP Outer = 179.44 DIP R = 236.68

DIN Outer = 7.64 DIN R = 7.51 V X(DIN Outer - DIN Syst) = 0.69

V X(DIP Outer - DIP Syst) = -293

DIP = +1,070

DIN = +23.9

Stoichiometric calculations of aspects of Net System Metabolism

Positive P values could be attributed to a net production of DIP within the system and suggests that the estuary is mainly heterotrophic. Based on Redfield N:P ratio of 16:1, DINexp and (nfixdenit) was calculated. Table 3 summarizes the ecosystem metabolism. High negative values of (nfix-denit) suggests an actively denitrifying system in the Karnaphuli River estuary.
Table 3: Estimated rates of nonconservative DIN fluxes and (nfix-denit) DIP 61.03 1.07 DINobs 1.37 0.0239 DIN exp 976.48 17.12 (nfix-denit) -975.11 -17.06

mmol/m2/day 106 mol/day

References
APHA 1975. Standard Methods for the examination of water and waste water, 14th ed. American Public Health Association, Washington D.C., 1193pp. Barnes H. 1959. Apparatus and Methods of Oceanography (Chemical). Vol.1. London and N.Y., Acad. Press.341pp. Gordon, D.C.,Jr., Boudreau, P.R., Mann, K.H., Ong, J.E., Silvert, W.L., Smith, S.V., Wattayakorn, G., Wulff, F. and Yanagi, T. 1996. LOICZ Biogeochemical Modelling Guidelines. LOICZ Reports and Studies 5. 96pp. Jin-Eong, O., Wooi-Khoon, G., Chee-Hoong, W. and Din, Z.B.H. 1985. Productivity of the Mangrove Ecosystem: a Manual of Methods. Mangrove Ecosystem Research Group, Universiti Sains Malaysia. 117pp. Monwar, M. 2001. Flow and discharge characteristics in the Karnaphuli River estuary. In-term Research Paper. Institute of Marine Sciences, Chittagong University, Bangladesh. Parsons, J.D.H. and Strickland, T.R. 1968. A practical hand book of Sea water Analysis. Bull. Fish. Res. Bd. Com. 167-311p.

Strickland, J.D.H. and Parson, T.R. 1965. A Manual of Sea water analysis. Bulletin No. 125. Fisheries Res. Board of Canada, Ottawa.