author(s)
Anish V Pachu, Sudhir Kumar, V Jeeva and V Mohan

abstract
The aquatic macroinvertebrate biodiversity of mining impacted streams in and around Bailadila Iron Ore Mine, Kirandul Complex in South Bastar Dantewada district, Chhattisgarh state was assessed with the aim of predicting probable biological water quality by employing the macroinvertebrate water quality indices. A total number of 880 macroinvertebrates representing 27 families under 10 invertebrate orders were collected from 7 locations, which include upstream and downstream areas of Kirandul Nala and downstream area of Panchamurty Nala. Hydropsychidae were the dominant taxa among the macroinvertebrate families identified, followed by Baetidae, Chironomidae, Polycentropodidae, etc. Relatively high diversity with low dominance of taxa was noticed in Panchamurty Nala followed by locations in the u/s. of Kirandul Nala. The macroinvertebrate indices calculations revealed likely no apparent serious water quality impairment in the Kirandul Nala between upstream and downstream locations as well as that of Panchamurty Nala. The results of the indices observed to be useful in comparison with biotic metrics and diversity indices, which together give more insights into the probable water quality characteristics than alone.