Abstract:
Horticulture is one of the booming sectors in Ethiopia and a good way of generating income for both the owners and the government. But, it is also a threat for the environment due to the consumption of wide variety of chemicals and agricultural input. Ground and surface water is one of the major resources of the drinking water which suspetable for contamination. This study investigates the spatial and temporal variation of ground and surface water quality parameters along horticultural farm from Meshenti to Zegie zuria watershed. The effect of flower farm on physico-chemical, bacteriological and nutrient quality of ground and surface waters from watershed area was conducted during dry, wet, spring and autumn season. Water samples were collected from 6 sampling points and analyzed on 11 water quality parameters such as pH, TDS, Turbidity, Temperature, DO, TH, BOD, COD, TC, NO3- andPO43-. The results showed that GW (pH range 5.30 ± 0.30 to 6.81 ± 0.20) was slightly acidic (low pH) compared to SW (pH 7.32 ± 0.30 to 10.67 ± 0.52). GW turbidity ranged from 22.82 ± 3.51 to 38.32 ± 16.11NTU whereas that of SW ranged from 15.82 ± 14.30 to 87.45 ± 62.43 NTU in both seasons. Chemical parameters measured in GW samples in this study were COD (ranging from 4.93 ±0.35 to 9.58 ±0.92 mg/L) and BOD (1.35 ±
1.43 to 4.20 ± 8.31mg/L) whereas SW COD and BOD ranged from 91.45±4.28 to
129.33±10.23mg/L and 3.52 ± 0.05 to 27.53 ± 12.31mg/L respectively. TDS, DO, BOD, NO3- and PO43- showed significant difference (p<0.05) between the sampling points and seasons. There was significant (p<0.05) spatial and temporal distribution of physicochemical, microbial and nutrient parameters along the borehole and watershed river profile.