Water quality in rural areas of the Czech Republic: Key study Slapanka River catchment

Abstract

The article evaluates the water quality in rural areas in the Czech part of Labe River catchment using the example of Slapanka River catchment. This river drains a typical landscape of Ceskomoravska Highland. Water quality in rural areas is still very low and the attention is paid to organic substances and nutrients. Increased amount of them in streams is caused mainly by agriculture and production of municipal wastewater resulting in increased eutrophication. A significant part of the article consists in the evaluation of point and non-point sources of water pollution. Identifying the type of the pollution source is helped by regression analysis using data from the public monitoring network. Eleven sampling sites were selected for evaluating the water quality. Physical and chemical analyses were made 12 times during the field monitoring in the years 2001-2003. In long-term development water quality has improved in all monitored parameters during the last 15 years. Least significant improvement has been found with the concentration of nitrate nitrogen. The water quality within the whole catchment area still remains low.To reduce the influence of pollution sources, we recommend the sanitation of diffuse sources of pollution from small settlements with less than 2000 inhabitants, and a successive change from agricultural management and intensive mass production to extensive ways, especially in mountain and sub-mountain areas.

Possible impacts of climate change on water quality in streams of the Czech Republic

“…Concentrations of nitrate nitrogen in predominantly agricultural river catchments with a high β N,P index (the rivers Jevišovka, Sázava, Skalice, Oslava) have not changed over the long term. This is probably due to the constant or only slightly increasing trends in the application of mineral fertilizers to arable land in the period 1990-2008 (ME 2010), which is consistent with the results obtained by Judová and Janský (2005). In other river catchments, a slightly decreasing trend was found after 1990 ( Fig.…”

“…6(a)). Van Vliet and Zwolsman (2008) and Judová and Janský (2005) also reported the exponential growth of N-NO 3 -concentration dependent on flow as a consequence of surface runoff from arable land during heavy rains. Considering the short-term effect of floods and the range of the recorded values, this temporary increase does not appear to be problematic.…”

Assessing the Relationship Between Landscape Patterns and Nonpoint‐Source Pollution in the Danjiangkou Reservoir Basin in China1

“…Therefore, our finding is in agreement with previous studies that agricultural land can be a primary cause of sediment, organic substances, and nutrient pollution (Berka et al. , 2001; Judová and Janský, 2005). Rice fields can be considered as the sink of sediment and organic nutrients.…”

“…The NPS pollution simulation results also show that organic nutrients are significantly correlated with sediment yield and comprise most of the nutrient load. Therefore, our finding is in agreement with previous studies that agricultural land can be a primary cause of sediment, organic substances, and nutrient pollution (Berka et al, 2001;Judová and Janský , 2005). Rice fields can be considered as the sink of sediment and organic nutrients.…”

Analysis of Basic Physical-Chemical Parameters, Nutrients and Heavy Metals Content in Surface Water of Small Catchment Area of Karašica and Vučica Rivers in Croatia

“…The runoff from cultivated farmlands and wastewater from residences without adequate sanitation were identified as the main pollution sources. Contamination originating from agriculture is also a problem in this area [43]. Ntislidou et al (2012) in a case study from river basin Kosynthos, in Greece conducted in June 2011, reported levels of phosphates ranging from 0.022 to 0.146 mg/L, respectively.…”