CHLOROPHYLL-A AND TURBIDITY CHANGE DURING COVID-19 LOCKDOWN ALONG ETHIOPE RIVER

ABSTRACT

The importance of freshwater resources in the environment can never be over-emphasized. It is home to diverse aquatic fauna and flora species. Generally, socio-economic activities related to farming, manufacturing, and transportation contribute to diverse environmental problems across the components of the environment and the aquatic ecosystem is not left out. In 2020, the COVID-19 disease caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2 caused a drastic reduction in socio-economic and religious activities due to lockdowns in countries all over the world. This study assesses the chlorophyll-a and turbidity change along the Ethiope river using Landsat-7 (ETM+) data. The logarithmical addition of band 1 and 2, band ratio 1 and 3 were used for chlorophyll-a extraction while band 2 and 4, band ratio between 2 and 3 was used for turbidity extraction. The mean Chlorophyll-a value of the river ranged from 42.45 mg/m3 in 2021 to 110.34mg/m3 in 2020 while the mean turbidity value ranged from 15.11 mg/m3 in 2018 to 37.76 mg/m3 in 2020. Generally, the highest mean values for the two parameters were recorded in 2020 which was the COVID-19 year. The increase in turbidity and chlorophyll-a concentration of the water is detrimental to the fauna species in the river. Therefore, adequate water protection policies should be implemented to monitor surface water parameters during future incidents that reduce socio-economic activities like the lockdown. Measures should also be taken to reduce the nutrient load from nearby surrounding areas.