See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/340599884

Karnaphuli Estuary

Article · October 2019

CITATIONS READS
0 174

1 author:

Mohammad Mosaddik Rahman

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime Univers... Dhaka, Bangladesh
3 PUBLICATIONS   0 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Karnaphuli estuarine ecosystem View project

Field Trip BSMRMU View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Mohammad Mosaddik Rahman on 13 April 2020.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University

Assignment on

Karnaphuli Estuary

Date of Submission: 21-10-2019

Submitted By:
Mohammad Mosaddik Rahman
Id:17311017
Session:2018-19
2nd Semester, 1st Year
Abstract
Karnaphuli river is a major river in southeastern part of Bangladesh. The diversity
of natural population is partially dependent on the environment variable which
always affect the competing population. To maintain this diversity. We should be
aware of the different parameters. We went on a tour Karnaphuli estuary during our
field trip to clarify the condition of these parameters. Estuaries are areas of physical
and biological transition between the land, freshwater and seas. Karnaphuli estuary
belongs a wide range of fisheries species, including sites for spawning, feeding,
nursing and migration.
Introduction

An Estuary is a partially enclosed body of water formed where freshwater from

rivers and streams mixes with salty sea water. An estuary is a channel that has the
sea at one end and a river at the other; in an estuary, seawater is appreciably diluted.
Estuary represents the transition system between freshwater and marine biomes, and
as such they are influenced by both aquatic realms. Estuaries form a transition zone
between river environments and maritime environments.

The word "estuary" is derived from the Latin word “aestuarium” meaning tidal inlet
of the sea, which in itself is derived from the term aestus, meaning tide.

Estuaries are unique ecosystems unlike any other on Earth. Estuaries are typically
classified by their existing geology or their geologic origins. The five major types of
estuaries classified by their geology are-

● Coastal plain:
In places where the sea level is rising relative to the land, sea water progressively
penetrates into river valleys and the topography of the estuary remains similar
to that of a river valley. This is the most common type of estuary in temperate
climates. Example- Narragansett Bay (RI)
● Bar built:
Bar-built estuaries are found in place where the deposition of sediment has kept
pace with rising sea level so that the estuaries are shallow and separated from
the sea by sand spits or barrier islands. They are relatively common in tropical
and subtropical locations.
 Fig: Classification of Estuary

● Tectonic:
These estuaries are formed by subsidence or land cut off from the ocean by land
movement associated with faulting, volcanoes, and landslides. Inundation
from ecstatic sea level rise during the Holocene Epoch has also contributed
to the formation of these estuaries. There are only a small number of
tectonically produced estuaries; one example is the San Francisco Bay
● Fjord:
Fjord-type estuaries are formed in deeply eroded valleys formed by glaciers. These
U-shaped estuaries typically have steep sides, rock bottoms, and underwater
sills contoured by glacial movement.
Bangladesh is a low lying, riverine country located in South Asia with a largely
marshy jungle coastline of 580 km on the northern littoral of the Bay of Bengal.
There are many estuaries in Bangladesh. Maximum estuaries are river estuaries.
Major estuaries occur in the Bay of Bengal. Many estuaries are locations of some of
the major seaports. There are about 20 estuaries throughout the coastal zone of
Bangladesh as well as some complex estuarine ecosystems in natural and planted
mangrove forest dominated areas, but relatively little is known. Some of these are as
follows-

● The Meghna River Estuary

● The Karnafuli River Estuary
● The Sundarban River Estuary
● The Haringhata River Estuary
● The Hariavhanga River Estuary
● The Muhuri River Estuary
● The Pasour River Estuary
● The Sangu River Estuary
● The Naf River Estuary
● The Matamuhuri River Estuary
● The Icchamati River Estuary
● The Vagirathi River Estuary
● The Feni River Estuary
● The Tetulia River Estuary
● The Kirtonkhola River Estuary
● The Bakkhali River Estuary
Karnaphuli is the largest and most important river in Chittagong and the
Chittagong Hill Tracts, originating in the Lushai hills in the Mizoram State of India.
And the Karnaphuli estuary is one of the most important estuaries among the
estuaries in Bangladesh. It travels through 180 km of mountainous wilderness
making a narrow loop at Rangamati and then follows a zigzag course before it forms
two other prominent loops, the Dhuliachhari and the Kaptai.

The Rangamati and the Dhuliachhari loops are now under the reservoir of the Kaptai
earth-filled dam. The river drains into the Bay of Bengal cutting across several hill
ranges, the Barkal, Gobamura, Chilardak, Sitapahar and Patiya of the Chittagong
Hill Tracts and Chittagong.

The main tributaries of the Karnafuli are the Kasalong, Chengi, Halda, and Dhurung
on the right and the Sub along, Kaptai, Rinkeong and Thega on the left.

The natural, geographical and geomorphological value of this estuary and the
economical-importance is beyond description. So it is an important issue and as a
student of Oceanography and Hydrography we often need to work on the places
based on water and watery environment. Estuary is not different than this.
The Karnafuli River Estuary
Pathway to the downstream
The Karnafuli The principal river of the region. It originates in the Lushai Hills of
Mizoram (India), flows through Rangamati and the port city of Chittagong and
discharges into the Bay of Bengal near Patenga. A number of streams flow upstream
of Rangamati. The streams are: one originating near Thekamukh in Mizoram-
Bangladesh border flowing through Harina, Barkal and Sublong; one originating at
Marishwa through Myanmukh and Langadu till reaching Subhalong; one flowing
through Dangumura to Myanmukh; and one flowing through Mahalchhari to
Rangamati. The streams meet near Rangamati and their combined flow is known as
Karnafuli. The river is flashy and its length is about 131 km. Rainkhiang, Sublong,
Thega, Kasalong, Ichamati and Halda are its main tributaries. Its major distributaries
are Saylok'and Boalkhali.

Figure : Pathway to the downstream

Ecology and biodiversity of Karnaphuli river estuary

Ecology is the study of ecosystem .That means it is the study of sum total of all
living and non-living things that support the chain of life events within a particular
area. Estuaries are among the most biologically productive ecosystems on the planet-
-critical to the life cycles of fish, other aquatic animals, and the creatures which feed
on them.

Ecological context of Karnaphuli estuary:

1. Biotic Factors:

a. Flora---

b. Fauna----

2. Abiotic factors

a. Physical parameters

i. Temperature

ii. Salinity

iii. Tidal action

b. chemical parameters

i. Dissolve Oxygen (DO)

ii. Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)

iii. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)

iv. pH
 v. Nutrients, etc.

3.Geological factor.

Biotic characteristics of Karnaphuli estuary:

There are many biotic factors found in Karnaphuli estuaries. This includes plants
and animals such as shrimp, fish and oyster. Plants include phytoplankton, seaweed
and salt marshes.

A study has recorded 10 species of zooplankton (copepod, Sagitta, isopod, crab

larvae, crab larvae, acari, shrimp, hydroida, fish larva, oligochaete, Cladocera), 14
species of phytoplankton and 9 species of benthos. The number of zooplankton
varied between 15.26 ind/m3 and 21.945 Ind /m3 during monsoon,18.35 Ind /m3
and 224.395 Ind /m3 during post monsoon and 17.443 Ind /m3 and 41.003ind/m3

During pre-monsoon. According to copepod, Cladocera occupied the second

dominant constituent during monsoon and pre-monsoon in Karnaphuli river estuary.

Faunal composition

The study has recorded the following faunal composition in Karnaphuli Estuary:

Name of the Sample -1 Sample-2 Ind/m3 Ind/m3

species Sample -01 Sample-02
1 Copepod 808 3208 480 112.45
2 Sagitta 8 45 4.753 1.577
3 Isopod 9 9 2.376 0.315
4 Crab 17 17 3.565 0.5959
larvae
5 Acari 2 2 0.594 0.070
6 Shrimp 10 22 8.913 0.771
larvae
7 Hydroida 15 10 0.594 0.3505
8 Fish larvae 1 4 1.1883 0.140
9 Oligochaet 2 1 1.1883 0.035
a
10 Cladocera 64 88 38.03 3.085

Total 921 3401 545.955 119.3894

Fig: Statistics of zooplankton composition
Major fisheries resources in Karnaphuli river (data collected from 2009)

Fishes Picture

Baghair (Bengali)

Chitol

Rita

Modhu Pabda

Ilish

Rupchanda

Coral
Figure: Freshwater fishes found in Chattogram (Unit : metric tons)
Abiotic factors of Karnaphuli estuary:

Similar to biotic factors, there are many abiotic factors in estuaries. For example,
temperature, sunlight, water and salinity in the estuaries are all abiotic factors. The
ecosystem of estuary is basically aquatic. Water quality is basically brackish.
Technically, brackish water contains between 0.5 to 30 grams of salt per liter more
expressed as 0.5 to 30 parts per thousand which is a specific gravity of between 1.005
and 1.010.

Light:

Plants use energy in sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates
and oxygen. This is accomplished through a series of chemical reactions called
photosynthesis.

Oxygen:

Oxygen is used in respiration. Respiration releases stored chemical energy to power

an organism’s life processes. An absence of oxygen severely restricts the amount of
life that can be supported.

Water:

Without water, no organism can remain biologically active. In fact, all living
organisms are comprised of 50 to 99 percent water.

Nutrients:
Although sunlight is the fuel for food production, and water and carbon dioxide are
the raw materials, plants cannot survive on these alone. Other substances, called
nutrients, are necessary for the proper function of a living organism. Major nutrients,
including nitrogen and phosphorous, are needed in large amounts. Trace nutrients,
such as iron, are required in smaller amounts.

Temperature:

Temperature is one of the best-understood abiotic factors affecting the distribution

and abundance of organisms. Temperature has a large impact on plants and animals
because it influences their metabolic rates and affects rates of growth and
reproduction. Geographic ranges of animals are often defined by temperature, and
many species respond to seasonal temperature shifts by acclimatizing to changes or
by migrating away from them.

Salinity:

Pure water contains only oxygen and hydrogen, but in the natural world, solid
substances such as salt are often dissolved in water. In an estuary, the salt content of
water fluctuates continuously over the tidal cycle. It decreases drastically in the
upper reaches of estuarine rivers where tidal influence lessens, and varies radically
in salt panes because of evaporation and precipitation. Organisms that spend their
entire lives in estuaries need to be capable of responding to large, rapid salinity
variations.

Physical and chemical parameters of Karnaphuli estuary:

The mean values of water temperature, total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved
solids (TDS), total solids (TS), turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO), bio-chemical
oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), pH, electric conductivity
and total alkalinity were 23°C, 365.87 mg/L, 8018.8, 8518.33 mg/L, 31.54 FTU,
1.55 mg/L, 6.65 mg/L, 13961 μs/cm, 247.47 mg/L, 560.27 mg/L and 4.8 mg/L
respectively.

Parameters Area-1 Area-2

Air temperature 14 c 24c
Water temperature 20 degree Celsius 22 degree Celsius
Salinity (ppt) 5 21
Transparency 18 15
Depth (m) 5 7
Tidal condition Low tide High tide
 Fig: Variation in hydrological parameters in Karnaphuli estuary

Geological Factor:

Sediment Characteristics

Grab sampler used to collect sediment sample from the high tide mark station at high
tide period of various sampling time. The diameter of core sampler is 10 cm and the
length 20 cm. Keep the collected sediment sample into a polythene container (500g
to 1 kg). After reaching at laboratory collected sediment sample are spread on the
sheet of paper or trays and dried in air (exposure to sun light hastens the drying).
Break the larger aggregates preferably in a wooden mortar and pestle and pass the
sediment sample through a .30mm sieves. The sieved sediment samples in then
weighted and the mouth of the plastic container are well capped immediate analysis
is ideal. Storage is low temperature (4 degree Celsius) is perhaps the best way to
preserve most samples until the next day.

Fig: Sediment texture Comparative view between two stations

Soil Density
Role of aquatic environmental parameters:

It is widely acknowledging that many interacting physical and biological factors

influence the occurrences, distribution, abundance and diversity of estuarine tropical
fishes. Among the environmental variables, water salinity, temperature, turbidity,
dissolved oxygen, and their regular or irregular fluctuations at different time scales,
have been identified as determinants in estuarine fish ecology (Whitefield 1996;
Blaber 2000). But during study period of water temperature was (20 degree c-24
degree c). but salinity was variable in station-1 (5ppt) in statio n-2(21ppt) .Salinity
is rapidly increasing toward the sea which is affecting the diversity of, distribution,
abundance of zooplankton, phytoplankton, benthos community. In this study,
copepods are greatly available in two stations.

Economical prospect of Karnaphuli Estuary

With its array of trees and wildlife the forest is a showpiece of natural history. It is
also a Centre of economic activities, such as extraction of timber, fishing and
collection of honey.

Karnaphuli is the largest and most important river in Chittagong and the Chittagong
Hill Tracts, originating in the Lushai hills in the Mizoram State of India. Karnaphuli
estuary has a great economic value.

Karnaphuli estuary is used for transport and industry. Chittagong Port is located by
the estuary of the Karnaphuli River in Patenga, on the northeast curve of the Bay of
Bengal, near the city of Chittagong. Around 90% of the country’s export and import
activities are done through this port. So Karnaphuli estuary played a huge role in
country’s economy.

An estuary is an area where a freshwater river or stream meets the ocean. In estuaries,
the salty ocean mixes with a freshwater river, resulting in brackish water. So
Karnaphuli estuary can be used as a tourist attraction place and it can be played a
great economic value.

Estuaries provide a nursery for the larval forms of some marine fish species, and
provide shelter and food for many young and adult fish and shellfish. These in turn
provide food for other levels of the food chain including shore birds, waterfowl,
larger fish and marine mammals. Many seafood species such as lobster, herring,
menhaden, gaspereau, crab, oyster and clam rely on the rich food supply of estuaries
during some part of their life cycle. So estuary plays a vital role in country’s
economy.

The presence of broken and decaying plant and animal material - collectively known
as detritus - together with the bacteria which break down this detritus - form the basis
of the food web in the estuary. And because estuaries form contact points between
land and sea, their waters are particularly rich in this detritus - which comes from
the ocean itself, as well as from neighboring wetlands, salt flats, and so on.

Fisherman community

The investigation survey was made to collect the information related to socio-
economic conditions of the fishermen. From the survey it was found that out that
most fisherman were male. The average members of joint family were six per
household. The sex ratios of fishermen were 96% male and 4% female. Most of
them had the primary educational background and some of them with different
levels of higher education. It was found that the number of school going children
was 1.56 per house and about half of them were school dropout boy. Full katcha
houses were more abundant, while the semi-pacca houses were few and about
60% did not used electricity. Regarding health and sanitation, about 85% of the
fishermen were suffered with different types of diseases including rumatic fever,
dysentery, jaundice, mal nutrition, gastric, diarrhoea, fever and 15% fishermen did
not suffered by any types of diseases last year. 50% fishermen had below 50
decimal lands and about half of the fishermen had no land. Their monthly average
income was recorded TK. 3500.00 ± 4000.00. In survey, it was found that fishermen
borrowed money from the NGO’s, relatives, moneylenders, banks and neighbors.
Apparently from the present situation majority of people took meals three items
daily. Most of the fishermen used tube-well water for drinking, few of the
fishermen used well or indira water for drinking, less of the fishermen used ring-
well water for drinking and other sources. However, they need more institutional,
organizational and technical and credit support for their better socio-economic
betterment and sustainable livelihood.

Pollution

Tolerance level varies among fish species, but ammonia toxicity is believed to be a
cause of unexplained losses in fish hatcheries. Excess ammonia may accumulate and
cause alteration of metabolism.

“If ammonia increases in water, it causes a significant impact on the food system of
fish,” said the BFRI. The fish has virtually vanished from the 170-km Karnaphuli
river. Besides, they cannot be found anymore in the Shitalakkhya, Kaliganga and the
rivers of the Ganges river system, including the Nabaganga, Garai and Madhumati,
since India started withdrawing water of the Ganges through the Farakka barrage
after the Liberation War.

Hilsas prefer around 25-feet-deep water and strong currents to go against, but for
loss of navigability, they have stopped migrating to many rivers, according to
experts.
GC Halder, a retired scientist of BFRI, said impacts of climate change such as
saltwater intrusion and rise in sea-level might not have affected fish movement much
but pollution and loss of navigability in rivers were doing the main damage.

Estuarine fishes can survive in both saline and sweet waters.

“However, because of the saltwater intrusion, spawning grounds to deeper inland

water as fish like hilsa needs sweet water for releasing eggs,” he said.

Also, they might have travelled to sweet waters in neighbouring countries through
the sea for laying eggs, Halder added.

Normally, most hilsa travels from the sea to sweet water weeks before the full moon.
They then swim towards the rivers in the upstream, including the Padma,
Brahmaputra and Surma, while taking food. When the full moon nears, they travel
back to the estuary where sweet, saline and muddy waters merge.

Father and mother hilsas swim back to the sea after the spawning season while the
baby fish, after hatching, travel towards sweet waters in the upstream and remain
there until May or June before going to the sea. When the next spawning season
comes, the baby fishes that have matured by this time come to sweet waters to release
eggs with their parents and elders. Their usual lifespan is three to five years.

Anisur Rahman, the BFRI director, thinks hilsa might stop coming to Bangladesh
rivers altogether and start migrating to those of Myanmar and India if hilsa fry are
not conserved and the problems facing the silver fish are not addressed.
Conclusion

After having an overview of the sum total of the report, we find out the Karnaphuli
river estuary is one of the most important resource in our country not for its
biodiversity and economical importance but also for the research purpose and its
vast biodiversity. Yet, many things and the things are still left to discover and it plays
a wonderful role about sediment transportation system in our country’s river. These
sediments are transported on the sea and via land the land gets fertile and fish and
planktons also comes to the estuary for reproduction and nurturing juvenile larvae
or mammals in this estuary. We know, in this estuary we can found Dolphins and
other mammals. So it is very important for us all to preserve this biodiversity and
not to anything which can hamper the biodiversity of this estuary and its ecosystem.
So whatever we do whether it is research or resource, we must keep one thing in
mind that we should not disturb the ecosystem of this valuable resource. And try to
keep this place cleaner and filtered.
 References

M. Golam Mustafa, 2017 Maturation biology of Pennahia argentatus in the

Karnaphuli estuary, Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Shamsuzzaman, Md. Mostafa Hasan, Arif Alam, Masud Barman, Partho Protim
Harun-Al-Rashid, Ahmed, 2017 Temporal distribution of shellfish assemblage in
the Karnaphuli estuary, Bangladesh

Indian Journal of Geo Marine Sciences Vol. 46 (07), July 2017, pp. 1486-1492

Fishbase, India, accessed 25 October 2019, < www.fishbase.in/ >

Roy, Pinaki (2 May 2015). "Hilsa spawning less and less". The Daily Star. Retrieved
16 July 2015.

"Spilled oil flows towards Karnaphuli". The Daily Star. 20 June 2015. Retrieved 16
July 2015.

"Ganges River dolphin OVERVIEW". worldwildlife.org. World Wildlife Fund.

Retrieved 17 December 2015.

Roy, Pinaki. "Hilsa spawning less and less". thedailystar.net. The Daily Star.
Retrieved 16 July 2015.

Alaa, G. M. O., El Sayed, H. A., Mahmoud, M. S.F., and Mohsen, A. M.

2011.Reproductive Biology of Round Herring Etrumeus teres (Dekay, 1842) from
the Egyptian Mediterranean Water at Alexandria. ISRN Zool. 2011: 1-12.

Ali, A., Sukanta, S., and Mahmood, N. 1985.Seasonal abundance of plankton

inMoheskhali channel, Bay of Bengal, Proceedings of “SAARC Seminar on
Protection of Environmental from Degradation”, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 128- 140.

View publication stats