Evaluation and Management of the Physicochemical Variables of Asu River, Southeast, Nigeria

Asu River is one of the major tributaries of Cross River, a tropical reforest river in southeast Nigeria. The climate of the region is divided into the wet and dry seasons. Human activities such as fishing, bathing and washing go on in the river especially during the dry season. Farming also takes place at the fringes of the river. Some important physicochemical parameters of the river were investigated at two designated sites comprising the downstream and the upstream for nine (9) months, from October, 2013 to June, 2014. Temperature, carbon (iv) oxide, conductivity, total dissolved solids, nitrate and phosphate recorded maximum values during the dry season while dissolved oxygen and pH recorded maximum values in the wet season. The physicochemical variables evaluated showed that the river is not in a critical condition as most of the variables recorded are within the WHO permissible limit. However, the paper therefore recommends the need for public enlightenment on environmental management and control of household and industrial wastes in order to sustain the usefulness of Asu River.