Evaluation of Water Quality in Ialomita River Basin in Relationship with Land Cover Patterns

Abstract

The paper reviews the state of water quality in Ialomita River Basin (IRB), Romania, between 2007 and 2018 using the land use/land cover and basin-specific conditions effects on sediments and nutrients load. On-site monitoring was performed in two control sections of the Ialomita River, one in the upper part of the basin (near Targoviste city) and the second near the discharge into the Danube (downstream of Tandarei town). The statistical averages of water parameters for 10 years' monitoring in the control section that is close to the Ialomita River discharge in Danube were pH = 7.60 (range: 6.41-8.40), NH 4 -N = 1.20 mg/L (0.02-14.87), alkalinity = 4.12 mmol/L (1.34-6.27), NO 3 -N = 2.60 mg/L (0.08-17.30), PO 4 -P = 0.09 mg/L (0-0,31), dissolved oxygen (DO) = 8.87 mg/L (2.72-15.96), BOD 5 = 5.50 mg/L (0.01-74.71), suspended solids (TSS) = 508.32 mg/L (15.2-4457), total dissolved salts (TDS) = 733.69 mg/L (455.2-1053), and river discharge = 38.60 m 3 /s (8. . Expected mean concentration and soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) modeling have been employed in the GIS environment to extend the approach to large spatial patterns within the basin. The estimated average specific emission on the total area for nitrogen was 3.2 kg N/ha, and 0.3 kg P/ha for phosphorus highly influenced by the agricultural activities. The results are useful to raise awareness regarding water-quality degradation and the need to stop and even reverse such trends for local and national sustainable development.Water 2020, 12, 735 2 of 19 water [2]. The discharge of toxic substances, the contamination of groundwater, and the atmospheric transport of nutrients over long distances leading to eutrophication of surface waters, are some of the important processes responsible for the degradation of water quality [3].Massive pollution with organic compounds leads to increased biological oxygen demand and hypoxia, which is often accompanied by severe pathogenic contamination [4]. Eutrophication resulting from the enrichment with nutrients originating from various sources and in particular from agriculture and agro-industrial environment strongly influences the biosphere [5,6]. The over-application of fertilizers damages the ecosystems on large spaces, including soil, water and underground aquifer layers [7]. The main problems associated with intensive agriculture are salinization, nitrification, pesticide contamination and excessive erosion that produce high concentrations of colloids in flowing waters [8].Significant emissions of atmospheric pollutants and long-range transport have affected large areas, while droplets formed in the atmosphere through the combination of water with the gases produced by burning fossil fuels cause acid rain that leads to the acidification of surface waters, especially of lakes [9].Society uses natural resources in a steadily increasing rate. Human influence on nature may cause adverse consequences leading to the disturbance of the natural balance [10,11]. At the same time, technologies and approaches are being developed...

Water Quality Characteristics and Source Analysis of Pollutants in the Maotiao River Basin (SW China)

“…Wu and Lu also reported that relief affects land use through insolation, heat, water resources, soil retention capability, and soil structure, thereby affecting the spatial distributions of pollution sources. The composition of the landform mainly affects the speed, direction of flow, and diffusion of pollutants [42,[47][48][49]. In this study, the forested areas and the spatial distribution of water quality had a negative relation, which is different from what previous studies have found.…”

Calidad fisicoquímica y microbiológica del agua superficial del río Grande de Tárcoles, Costa Rica: un enfoque ecológico​

“…Además, estos dos sitios son zonas de pastoreo, donde el ganado ingresa constantemente al agua y genera remoción de material, aumentando la turbidez y el aporte de materia orgánica, lo cual también se asocia con el incremento en las concentraciones de coliformes fecales y totales, que afectaron la presencia de macroinvertebrados acuáticos, registrando la abundancia y diversidad más baja (Dunea et al, 2020); por lo que las buenas prácticas agrícolas como reducir la densidad de ganado o establecer parcelas de pasto permanentes pueden reducir los fosfatos, nitratos y sólidos suspendidos en el agua. Asimismo, establecer coberturas perennes ayuda a reducir los sedimentos, permitiendo que la calidad del agua mejore y a futuro las poblaciones de macroinvertebrados también podrían mostrar una mejoría significativa (Melland et al, 2018).…”

“…Parámetros biológicos -Macroinvertebrados: La comunidad biológica depende de los nutrientes en el agua, la época, la altitud, la calidad del agua, los microhábitats, el estado de conservación del sitio, entre otros; ya que existe una relación directa entre los procesos fisiológicos de los macroinvertebrados y los parámetros fisicoquímicos del agua (Banjara et al, 2019;Medupin, 2020). De acuerdo con los resultados, la época seca presentó una mayor abundancia de macroinvertebrados acuáticos, y esto coincide con lo encontrado por Araúz, Amores y Medianero (2000), quienes afirman que, en época lluviosa, la estructura del ambiente lótico y léntico es afectada por la influencia de crecidas y se genera un efecto de arrastre sobre los macroinvertebrados acuáticos, ocurriendo una mayor abundancia de taxones cuando la precipitación es menor; además, en época lluviosa se presentó una mayor carga orgánica, a manera de turbidez que es un factor que puede generar una deflexión en la concentración de OD y a su vez puede llegar a generar una mayor carga microbiana o coliformes fecales, como se evidenció también en este estudio (Orjuela, Saldarriaga, García, & Wilches, 2010;Suárez, García, & Vaca, 2012;Goldyn et al, 2018;Windsor et al, 2019;Medupin, 2020;Dunea, et al, 2020).…”

Evaluación de la calidad del ecosistema urbano río Torres, San José Costa Rica

“…Esto produce cambios fisicoquímicos y biológicos en el agua y favorece a la eutrofización. Además, incrementa la temperatura y la conductividad y ocasiona efectos adversos a los organismos acuáticos de manera permanente (Tadesse, Tsegaye, & Girma, 2018;Dunea et al, 2020).…”