Abstract:
River Benue originates from Cameroonian mountains and flows westwards into Nigeria covering
about 1,488km into Makurdi. River Benue divides Makurdi town into North and South banks,
occupied throughout its embankment by houses, markets, industrial and commercial structures
producing all manners of municipal wastes and disposing them into the river while the same
river is use for fishing and fish culture as well as the major source of water supply for the
inhabitants living along the embankment. The purpose of the study was to assess the water
quality parameters of River Benue at Makurdi metropolis for Aquaculture. Five sampling sites
were selected along the water course at areas considered full of possible activities that are
capable of affecting the quality of the river water for aquaculture. Water samples were collected
monthly for a period of six months, (August to January). Water quality characteristics considered
vital for aquatic life were examined: physical parameters investigated were Colour,
Temperature, Turbidity, Suspended solids (SS) and Total dissolve solids(TDS); chemical
parameters were pH, Total alkalinity, Total hardness Magnesium, Calcium, Iron, Phosphate,
Nitrate, electrical conductivity, Dissolved oxygen, Biochemical oxygen demand, Chemical
oxygen demand and Feacal coliform. Amongthe18 parameters studied: Water colour averagely
appeared brownish, temperature ranged from 270c to 34.40c, turbidity (25.2 to 67.1 NTU),
Suspended solids (22.5 to 55.6 mg/l), Total dissolve solids (189to820mg/l), pH (6.2 to 7.6),Total
alkalinity (51.0 to 98.0 mg/l), Total hardness (58.0 to 141 mg/l),Phosphate (6.35 to 10.20
mg/l),Nitrate (2.1 to5.15mg/l),Magnesium (21.6 - 38.6 mg/l), Calcium (34.6 - 48.2 mg/l),Iron
(0.37 - 1.35 mg/l), electrical conductivity (89.6 to 565 ?S/cm), Dissolved oxygen(14.4 to 18.4
mg/l), Biochemical oxygen demand(5.4 to 9.42 mg/l), Chemical oxygen demand(25.7 to 33. 0
mg/l) and Feacal coliform(34.1 to 87.2 MPN). Most of their mean values were within the limit of
FAO for aquaculture, except Magnesium, Calcium, Iron and Phosphate which might not be
suitable for some species of fishes and fish culture without some level of treatment.
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