REPORT ON RIVER

ECOSYSTEM

NAME:
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I take this opportunity to express my deep

sense of respect and profound gratitude to
Dr. Nirmali Bordoloi her able guidance, encouragement and
constant support. She, with patience taught me bit of concept.
Working under her as an Environmental science student gives me a
very nice flavour of Experience.
I am thankful to all those who wished and boosted me up every time,
blessings and encouragement it would have been impossible for me
to purpose this work.
Content –
 Aims and objectives
 Introduction
 Observation
 Conclusion
 Bibliography
Aims:
To study the features, structure, components, functions, flora and fauna, man-
made developments, and condition of a river ecosystem – Tapi River Basin.

Objectives:
 To study the salient features of Tapi River Basin
 To study the biotic and abiotic components of Tapi River Basin
 To study the physiography of Tapi River Basin
 To understand the uses and religious significance of Tapi River Basin
 To study the river distribution and its distributaries of Tapi River
 To study the flora and fauna of Tapi River Basin
 To study the man-made developments on Tapi River Basin, and their
adverse effects on water quality and rest of the environment
Introduction – Tapi River Basin:
Tapti river, Tapti also spelled Tapi, is a river in central India, rising in the
Gawilgarh Hills of the central Deccan plateau in south-central Madhya Pradesh
state. It flows westward between two spurs of the Satpura Range, across the
Jalgaon plateau region in Maharashtra state, and through the plain of Surat in
Gujarat sate of the Gulf of Khambhat.
Tapi receives several tributaries on both banks. There are 14 major tributaries
having a length more than 50km. The basin spreads over 18 parliamentary
constituencies comprising 12 of Maharashtra, 3 of Gujarat and 3 of Madhya
Pradesh.
Salient features of Tapi River Basin:
 Longitude extent is 72 deg 33' to 78 deg 17' E
Latitude extent is 20 deg 9' to 21 deg 50' N
 Length of river is 724 km.
 Catchment area is 65145 sq. km.
Biotic components of Tapi River basin:
The living components of an ecosystem are called the biotic components.
Streams have numerous types of biotic organisms that live in them, including
bacteria, primary producers, insects, other invertebrates, fish, etc.
• Algae, consisting of phytoplankton and periphyton, are the most
significant sources of primary production in most streams and rivers.
• Invertebrates act as both consumers and prey items and in river
ecosystems about 90% of them include insects.
• Fish are the best-known inhabitants of river systems. Other vertebrate
taxa include amphibians, reptiles, various bird species, and mammals.

Abiotic components of Tapi River Basin:

The non-living components of an ecosystem are called abiotic components—
E.g., stone, air, soil, etc.
• The Unidirectional flow can be continuous or intermittent, and the
speed may be subject to chaotic turbulence. It is strongly determined by
slope and can alter the general shape or direction of the stream bed.
• Internal temperature varies with the environment and may show
strong diurnal fluctuations and seasonal variations. The amount of
shading, climate, and elevation can also influence the temperature.
Physiography of Tapi River Basin:
The Tapi Basin is situated in the northern part of the Deccan Plateau
and extends over an area of 65145 sq.km. which is nearly 2% of the
total geographical area of the country. Nearly 80% of the basin lies in the
State of Maharashtra. The basin has an elongated shape with a
maximum length of 587 km from east to west and the maximum width of
210 km from north to south.
Significance of Tapi River Basin:
 In earlier times the Tapi River played an important role in Surat as the major
port was often used for the export of many goods.
 Tapi river supports a large number of indigenous populations such as Dhodia,
and Bhils who are heavily dependent on it for livelihood.
 The river is used heavily for irrigation reasons and also provides a means of
transport for the people living on its banks. 
 Tapti River has very high quality and rich fertile soil which is highly suitable for
agricultural activities and provides most important benefits to the farmers
living in the area.
 Religious significance - According to the legends, Tapi river also known as
Tapti is the daughter of Surya (the Sun God). The river finds mention in the
great Indian epic Mahabharata, according to which Tapti had married
Sanvaran, a legendary hero of the moon dynasty. Tapti and Sanvaran also
had the son called Kuru. It was on his name only the Kuru dynasty started.
Tapi is considered as the Goddess among the Hindus and is worshiped
among them.

 
Tributaries of Tapi River:
There are 14 major tributaries having a length more than 50 Km. On the right bank 4
tributaries namely, the Vaki, the Gomai, the Arunavati and the Aner join the Tapi. On the left
bank, 10 important tributaries namely the Nesu, the Arunavati, the Buray, the Panjhra, the
Bori, the Girna, the Vaghur, the Purna, the Mona and the Sipna drain into the main channel. 

 Purna river - There are 14 major tributaries having a length more than 50 Km. On the
right bank 4 tributaries namely, the Vaki, the Gomai, the Arunavati and the Aner join
the Tapi. On the left bank, 10 important tributaries namely the Nesu, the Arunavati,
the Buray, the Panjhra, the Bori, the Girna, the Vaghur, the Purna, the Mona and the
Sipna drain into the main channel. 
 Girna river - The Girna River is a river in Maharashtra state of southern India. It flows
east across Nashik and Jalgaon districts, swinging north in Jalgaon District to join the
Tapti River.
 Gomai river - Gomai River is tributary of Tapti River. It originates in Satpura
Mountain Range and merge in Tapi River around 2 km east of Prakasha. 
 Panzara river - The Panzara-Kan or Panjhra is a river in Khandesh region of
Maharashtra state of India. It is a tributary of the Tapi River.  

Distribution of Tapi river system:

 Tapi river is one of only three rivers in peninsular India that run from east
to west.  
 It covers a large area in the State of Maharashtra besides areas in the states
of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
 The Tapi River Basin lies mostly in northern and eastern districts Maharashtra
state viz, Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Washim, Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar,
Malegaon, Nashik districts but also covers Betul, Burhanpur districts of Madhya
Pradesh and Surat district in Gujarat as well.
 The Tapi River drains an area of 65145 sq km out of which nearly 80
percent lies in Maharashtra.
Flora of Tapi River Basin:
The Tapi basin exhibits two distinct geographical regions, viz., the plain regions
in the east and south-east and the hilly regions of the Satpura Ranges in the
north and north-west. The plain region is extensively cultivated and forests
appear only in dotted, scattered patches.
A total of 94 species belonging to 90 genera and 41 families have been
reported from near the Tapti river.

Fauna of Tapi River basin:

Tapi river is the home to the natural habitats of many wild animals including
tigers, sloth bear, lions, snakes and crocodiles.

The fisheries of the river Tapi consist of the following species –

Carps:
 Tor tor
  Peninsula carp

 Orangefin labeo

Catfishes -
 Mystus seenghala
This habitat attracts 29 bird species belonging to 10 families, which are local
and migratory. Highest population of migratory Red crested pochard, Spot
billed ducks and Great Whistling Ducks, while residents are herons and little
cormorants.
Man-made developments on Tapi River Basin:
The Tapi river, the lifeline of India’s diamond city Surat, is proposed to be
transformed with riverfront development. Facilities for recreation, transport,
and tourism will be developed in phases on both banks of the 33 km-long Tapi
river. 
 The implementation of the riverfront project is expected to contribute to the
beauty and aura of the city. City dwellers and tourists will get new facilities.
Many kinds of plants will adorn both banks of the river. Steps will be taken to
prevent floods by managing river water and land. The river would be kept
clean and polluted water would be prevented from entering the river. Garden-
flood conservation work will be carried out fand walkways, cycle tracks, green
spaces, over- bridges, gardens, amusement parks, and other public facilities on
both sides of the river will be developed. Flood protection lines will be
renovated and a road will also be constructed along the riverbank. 

Water quality of River Tapi:

Sources say that the water quality in the river's upstream has deteriorated. The
soil quality has deteriorated the quantity of the dissolved oxygen in the water
of the river and the carbon-dioxide level in the water has gone up.  The
intrusion of harmful chemicals is a real threat to the flora and fauna in the
river. The heavy metals are knowns to be persistent in the aquatic
environment, and gradually accumulate and magnify through the process
known as bioaccumulation and biomagnification, while they move up in the
food chain. Thus, lead and mercury may magnify in their concentrations at
different trophic levels, including fish and birds inhabiting the river, which
finally reaches the humans through food. It is therefore necessary that NGOs
and municipal corporation authorities take up environmental protection
campaigns to educate the people in the city and make them aware of the
harmful environmental effects. 

Tapi River pollution:

 The Tapi River supports several class-I towns, many of which are well-
known for their industrial activities. About 80 percent of the domestic
and about 70 percent of the industrial waste are disposed of into the
river as wastewater.
 One of the primary and significant contributors to pollution loads is the
largely untreated industrial effluents and urban waste. 
 The total BOD load is about 488 tons daily, about 39 percent. This part is
highly contributed by the urban domestic wastewater and the 21
percent contribution followed by the surrounding industries.
 The total carry-over amount of the nitrogen and potassium compounds
is about 10 percent, aggravated during the summer months when the
river flow is considerably reduced. 
 The water quality has been adversely affected due to anthropogenic
activities, municipal waste, domestic sewage, washing clothes,
primarily by laundries, and agricultural run-off.
 It was concluded that the water of the Tapi river is moderately polluted
due to discharges of industrial waste, domestic waste, and
agricultural run-off in river water, which requires more efficient
management to conserve the Tapi river.
Conclusion:
Observing the extent of pollution Tapi river goes through, we can undertake
the following steps in order to control this river pollution, keeping in mind the
physiography, flora and fauna of the river –
 Remediate the legacy waste accumulated at disposal sites
 Work for bio-mining of waste overflowing from sanitary
landfills.
 Prevent solid waste dumping in the river Tapi by using wire
nets/barricading
Bibliography:
• A Case Study of Surat: Using Remote Sensing and GIS. Dhruvesh K.
Mathur, Praful MU. (2016).
• Fauna of Narmada and Tapi Estuaries Gujarat. (2019). Laishram Kosygin,
S. Rath. Zoological Survey of India.
• Ichthyofaunal diversity of Tapi River. (2017). Ravi N. Khade, Sachin N.
Tayade
• Water Quality and Pollution Status of Tapi River, Gujarat, India. (2013).
Monica Dubey. International Journal of Pure and Applied Zoology
• Indiawris.gov.in
• Ecoindia.com
• Sciencedirect.com
• Images: ResearchGate, Wikipedia, Gujarat Tourism, Twitter, Google India
Maps & other publicly-accessible repositories.