The Fish Diversity of the Rivers in Imphal Valley in Relation to Its Physico-Chemical Parameters

Title: The Fish Diversity of the Rivers in Imphal Valley In Relation To Its Physico-Chemical Parameters
Author: Ningthoujam Mohendra Singh
ISBN: 978-93-86934-15-4
Year of Publication: 2018


About the Book:

Manipur is a land lock state, on the North-East border between India and Myanmar and consist of a vast area of water such as lakes, wetlands, rivers, swamps with a rich biodiversity and immense fish production potentials. Manipur has a total area of 56.461 hactre of which the lakes, reservoirs, beels tanks, canals etc. covered an area of about 13,221 hact. whereas rivers, streams etc. account for 13,888 hact., Economic Survey of Manipur, (2008).   The aquatic environment is highly complex and diverse. It includes several ecosystems of fresh water streams, lakes, ponds, rivers and wetlands etc. with many different biotic and abiotic components with unique characteristics. The physical and chemical characteristics of aquatic environment can have profound effect on biological activities and impact of chemicals and other xenobiotics.

Aquatic ecosystem involves total complex interaction of physical, chemical and biological factors. Further, similar ecosystems are not affected, by addition of same chemicals. More differences in the chemical and physical environment and in species composition can results in the fate of the chemical and different effects of the system.

The state of Manipur has two major river systems: The Barak River system and Chindwin – Irrawadi system. The Barak River system drains the western half of the state. The watershed is divided from that of the Chindwin by the range on the western hill sides of the Imphal valley. The tributaries of the system are – Irang, Makru, Jiri, Tuvai and other smaller tributaries like – Tuipi, Irang, Iyei and Leimatak, etc.

The Chindwin – Irrawadi system consists of Imphal River and its tributaries. The lakes and marshes lying in the valley and hill streams of Ukhrul, Chandel and  Senapati District,  which drain into the tributary of Chindwin in Myanmar.

The Manipur River system is the longest and most important in the Manipur central valley. It formed a centripetal drainage pattern in the basin. The Imphal River is the main stream, and Iril, Thoubal, Chakpi, Khuga and Kongba rivers are the tributaries. While Nambul, Nambol, Thongjaorok, Khujairok, Irumbi, Lamnganbi and Hentakkhong etc. are the streams which falls into the Loktak Lake. The Khordak channel, 10 km long and about 10 meters wide, known as KhordakMaril, join the Loktak Lake and Imphal River at KhordakIchil.