Springs in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, serve as vital water sources in this Himalayan region, yet their hydrogeochemical profiles remain underexplored. This study applies multi-factor analysis, including principal component analysis (PCA) and Piper trilinear diagrams, to assess water quality from selected geothermal and non-geothermal springs like Kiyar, Tatapani Padder, Godresh, Vimal. Temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity, hardness, chlorides, sulphates, and nitrates were all measured in situ and in the lab using APHA 23rd-edition protocols on twenty-four composite water samples that were collected between May and July. Results reveal rock-water interaction as the dominant control, with hot springs showing elevated mineralization, elevated electrical conductivity, high total dissolved solids, slightly alkaline pH and elevated temperatures. Hot springs show enhanced chemistry promising its therapeutic and ecotourism applications. Since these hot springs exhibits lower DO and higher organic and mineral content requires attention for careful monitoring if used for drinking. On the other hand, cold springs viz. Godresh and Vimal displayed lower organic loading, greater DO, and colder temperature. All physico-chemical parameters stayed within the BIS, APHA and WHO drinking water guideline levels, suggesting their broad acceptability.
Sirwal et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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