ZEENAT MADAN, SUSHIL KUMAR UPADHYAY*, MANOJ SINGH, MUKESH YADAV, RAJ SINGH, DEEPAK YADAV AND ANIL K. SHARMA
Department of Bio-Sciences and Technology, M. M. E. C., Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be) University,
Mullana, Ambala-133 207 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail: upadhyay.k.sushil@gmail.com; Mobile: 94541 06294)
(Received: January 2, 2026; Accepted: February 3, 2026)
ABSTRACT
Fresh water resources play a pivotal role in sustaining life, supporting agriculture, industrial development
and maintaining ecological balance yet they remain highly vulnerable to anthropogenic pollution. The fresh water canal systems are crucial for regional water security and are regulators of biogeochemical cycling. The present study evaluated the variations in selected physico-chemical characteristics of the Western Yamuna Canal (WYC) water in district Yamuna Nagar, Haryana over an annual period from July 2024 to June 2025 with special emphasis on their implications for freshwater carbon sequestration. Water samples were collected on fortnightly basis from three representative sites along the canal and various parameters including temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), alkalinity, total hardness, chloride and free carbon dioxide were analyzed following standard protocol. Results revealed pronounced seasonal variations affected by climatic conditions and anthropogenic inputs. Elevated temperature reduced DO and increased free carbon dioxide levels during summer months indicated organic matter decomposition and microbial respiration potentially limiting carbon sequestration efficiency. Alkalinity and hardness levels suggested buffering capacity favouring inorganic carbon stabilization (carbon sequestration). The periodic deterioration in water quality due to anthropogenic pressures may shift the canal from a carbon sink to a carbon source. The investigation highlighted the need to integrate water quality assessment studies with carbon cycle considerations for sustainable management of canal under intensified industrial, agricultural and urban pressures.
Key words: Western Yamuna Canal, hydrological factors, carbon sequestration, physico-chemical water quality