Water quality and biological assessment of dicayo river

Assessments on the conditions of biological organisms in an aquatic ecosystem evaluate the condition of waterbodies desirable for aquatic life uses. This study was carried out to survey the biotic community and water quality of Dicayo. Specifically, this aimed to determine the level of physico-chemical parameters measurements such as the temperature, pH, nitrate, total suspended solids, total coliform, depth and width. Moreover, this sought to identify the flora and faunal composition and determine the significant difference on the quality of water and biological composition among the sampling sites. Descriptive method of gathering data was done with the aid of chemical, biological and physical laboratory analyses. Indices of diversity and dominance were determined using Shannon Index. Results revealed that the physico-chemical parameters were within the standard of the DENR but the total coliform did not meet the standard. The river is supported by its floral and faunal composition wherein 61 plant species, and 8 classes of animal species were identified. Catch Per Unit Effort value was highest for fish net with a mean of 0.367 kg/manhr. The biodiversity indices of flora and fauna showed moderately diverse level. Further study should be done to ensure the maintenance of water quality in the river.