TDS and Water Hardness in Lakes
Introduction:
An introduction to topic “TDS and Water Hardness in Lakes” Total dissolved solids (TDS) and water hardness are key indicators of freshwater quality and ecosystem health. In this excerpt from a 2025 zoology thesis, studies from Indian lakes and reservoirs illustrate how seasonal changes, mineral content, and organic matter affect TDS and hardness — with implications for irrigation, aquaculture, and biodiversity.
Excerpt Section:
“Total dissolved solids refer to the sum of all chemical ions (Cation and Anion) dissolved in water. TDS of Ponds, lakes, and freshwater bodies vary based on natural sources of water and activities of human beings. According to APHA (2012), term ‘Dissolve Solid’ represents the smaller particulate matter that can pass through a 0.2-micron pore size.”
“Mahajan and Poakle (2015) recorded a total dissolved solid varied from 100-1400 mg/l respectively in the winter and summer months from three sites of Mohabala Lake, District Chandrapur, Maharashtra.”
“Pawale and Lokhande (2012) and Choudhary et al. (2014), reported minimum TDS in the winter months because of the cold weather and high-water levels in bodies of water. Yadav et al. (2013) showed maximum TDS in the summer and minimum value in winter due to periodic variation of water composition.”
“Similar seasonal variation is also observed with TDS high in summer and low in winter in Sarkari Talab, in Maharashtra Budhe (2014). The highest TDS was found in summer (1246 mg/l) by decomposition of aquatic plants and animals and the lowest TDS was investigated during Monsoon (958 mg/l) in Bibi Lake Ahmedabad, Gujarat (Qureshimatva et al., 2015).”
“According to Gupta et al. (2017) high TDS levels are harmful to people’s health because they can damage the central nervous system and the tongue, lip, and paralyzes the face. It also irritates the skin and make people dizzy.”
“Dissolving solids is another very important measure for irrigation water because as they build up, they make the soil salty, in the Ramganga reservoir, Kalagarh Uttarakhand (Tyagi and Malik., 2018).”
“The total Hardness, of water mainly depends on the main constituents of calcium and magnesium. Similar findings were reported by Hulyal and Kaliwal (2005), worked on Almatti Reservoir, Bijapur Karnatka.”
“Azmi et al. (2015) reported in the fish pond in the Araria area of Bihar, that the water’s hardness classified as soft (0.75 mg/l), moderate (75-150 mg/l), hard (150-300 mg/l), and very hard (above 300 mg/l).”
“Kumar et al; 2015, reported total hardness is the index of the fertility of aquatic ecosystems. The amount of magnesium and calcium in water determines its hardness.”
“Hard water can act as a buffer against heavy elements such as zinc and copper. that are toxic to fish, shrimp, and other aquatic animals (Alam, 2017).”
“Durge et al. (2018) investigated total hardness in the range of 71.9 mg/l to 150.40 mg/l in Malgujari Pond. He stated that the summer months had the highest total hardness values, while the winters had the lowest.”
“High temperatures in summers cause excessive evaporation, which raises the concentration of salt that increases value higher in the summer. Seasonal variations and a complex mixture of anions and cations can affect the overall hardness of water (Tyagi and Malik, 2018).”
Source Citation:
- Thesis title: Seasonal Variations in Hydrological Parameters and Status of Fish Diversity in Bichnaiyya Lake Wetland of District Basti UP India
- University and Department: Siddharth University, Department of Zoology
- Year of submission: 2025
- Page number: Pages 12–14
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