Influence of Rice Farming On Water Quality in the Dakalt Branch Canal, Nile Delta, Egypt

Abstract

The Nile Delta is an extensive area important to Egypt due to its ecological and agricultural functions. It is an area known for supporting large-scale farming practices in the country for centuries, providing food and income for millions, and regulating the climate in the northern part of the country where it is situated. Unfortunately, over the years, the water quality of the Nile Delta has deteriorated due to the increasing economic development, industrialisation, urbanisation, and human settlement along the Nile River. The study aimed to evaluate the influence of rice farming on water quality in the Dakalt Branch Canal. The physical and chemical water quality parameters of water samples from the Dakalt Branch Canal were measured in space and time to understand the effects of rice farming on the canal’s water quality. A cross-sectional research design was employed where quantitative data was analysed to give the desired output. The study area was divided into three sampling sites as guided by the study objectives, and triplicate water samples were collected from each sampling site. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics where one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the differences in means, while correlation analysis was used to measure the association amongst various study variables. The experimental results showed significant spatial and temporal variation in the water quality parameters (p<0.05). A significant spatial variation in both physical and chemical water quality parameters was observed amongst the study sites and this was attributed to untreated waste discharge from the rice paddies. However, significant temporal variation was only observed in temperature and turbidity for physical parameters and in Biological Oxygen Demand, phosphates and nitrates for chemical parameters. The Water Quality Index (WQI) also revealed that all the sampling stations were polluted with an index of more than 100. Moreover, the research established that rice farming activities significantly impact the water quality of the canal and the River Nile both spatially and temporally causing adverse effects on human health, aquatic life and the environment. The study recommends embracing and enforcing Best Management Practices (BMPs) in agricultural production in the Dakalt Branch Canal Irrigation Scheme to protect quality and overall environmental and human health.