Poor or no regulatory framework and lack of public awareness in developing countries leads to the misuse of surface water bodies to the detriment of aquatic organisms. This study evaluated a river in rural Southeast Nigeria to determine its capacity to sustain diverse aquatic organisms from May to October 2023. The study was carried out in three stations using standard methods and four (4) water quality assessment indices. Sixteen (16) physicochemical parameters were evaluated vis-a-vis national standard. The results were: temperature (25.2–27.0), pH (5.6–7.8), turbidity (0.1-1.7NTU), dissolved oxygen (3.2–6.4mg/l), total suspended solids (1.0-3.1mg/l), biochemical oxygen demand (1.0-2.7mg/l), chloride (39.2-80.7mg/l), chemical oxygen demand (5.2-22.3mg/l), phosphate (0.01-0.04mg//l), ammonia-nitrogen (0.12–0.42mg/l), nitrate (0.02-0.08mg/l), sulphate (0.01-0.04mg/l), sodium (0.40-1.21mg/l), potassium (0.08-0.45mg/l), calcium (1.42-2.77mg/l) and magnesium (0.66-2.10mg/l). Dissolved oxygen, ammonia, pH and total suspended solids did not conform to regulatory standards. The indices results were: Water Quality Index (37.90-39.96), Comprehensive Pollution Index (0.24-0.25), Organic Pollution Index (1.06-1.34) and River Pollution Index (2.00-2.75). The indices showed that the river was not adversely polluted. The physicochemical parameters and indices were influenced more by season and less by anthropogenic activities. It can be concluded that the river is still suitable to support aquatic life. However, the observed anthropogenic activities like sand mining, disposal of solid wastes and wastewater discharges from local industries into the river could negatively affect the quality of the water if not checked. Future studies in the river will be anchored on this study as the community develops further.