Defining chemical status of a temporary Mediterranean River.
Although the majority of rivers and streams in the Mediterranean area are temporary, no particular attention is being paid for such systems in the Water Framework Directive (WFD). A typical temporal Mediterranean river, draining an intensively cultivated basin, was assessed for its chemical status. Elevated concentrations of nitrates and salts in river water as well as nutrients and heavy metals in river sediments have been attributed to agricultural land uses and practices and point sources of organic pollution. A scheme for the classification of the river's chemical status (within the ecological quality classification procedure) was applied by combining pollution parameters in groups according to related pressures. In light of the temporal hydrological regime and anthropogenic impacts, sediment chemical quality elements were considered, in addition to hydrochemical ones. Despite the extensive agricultural activities in the basin, the majority of the sites examined showed a good quality and only three of them were classified as moderate. For the classification of the chemical quality of temporary water bodies, there is a need to develop ecologically relevant salinity and sediment quality standards.
Skoulikidis
Nikolaos Th
NT
Institute of Inland Waters, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 46.5 km Athens-Sounio, 19013, Anavissos Attica, Greece.
D000383:Agriculture; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D019649:Food Industry; D006115:Greece; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D012965:Sodium Chloride