ГИДРОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ ОСОБЕННОСТИ И ГЕОЭКОЛОГИЧЕСКОЕ СОСТОЯНИЕ МАЛЫХ ВОДОТОКОВ ПОЛЬДЕРНЫХ ТЕРРИТОРИЙ КАЛИНИНГРАДСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ6

Abstract

The paper presents the results of research into the hydrological features and geoecological state of small watercourses in the polder territories of the Kaliningrad region. The work is focused on the largest polder massif of the region located on the territory of the Neman lowland in the Slavsky urban district. There was carried out geoecological monitoring of surface watercourses in the following seasons: summer (July 15, 2020), autumn (October 15, 2020), winter (February 3, 2021), and spring (March 27, 2021). For the monitoring we selected watercourses that in their totality could characterize the river network of the polder massif as a whole: the rivers Zlaya, Shlyuzovaya, Nemoninka, and Osa. Subsequently, water samples were taken for hydrochemical analysis, and the hydrometric characteristics of the rivers were measured at background and control points. In order to more objectively characterize the hydrological features of the river network, in addition to the results obtained during the monitoring, we used data on long-term hydrological observations. The research provides information on the state of the watercourses and the influence of anthropogenic and natural factors on them. Monitoring of the geoecological state has shown that they are to a greater or lesser extent susceptible to pollution and, in general, have a ‘bad quality’ water class. The main pollutants identified in the course of research were: nitrites, ammonium, phosphates, total iron, and oil products. There are also inconsistencies with the norms of maximum permissible concentrations in terms of biological consumption of oxygen and dissolved oxygen that are noted during the period of activity of living organisms. The geoecological state was found to be linked to the water regime, weather conditions, natural and agricultural cycles. A non-standard course of the water regime phases was noted, namely: autumn-winter floods, not very pronounced high water, and summer low water. The current situation of the river network can be characterized as unfavorable but still having a potential for correction due to the properly selected environmental protection measures.