Black Sea Environmental Status Improvement Through the Restoration of Wetlands Along the Danube River

Abstract

The Black Sea is heavily impacted by human activities, and a large contribution is made by the rivers. The Danube River provides almost 70% of the river inflow to the Black Sea and changes within the river basin are having an important contribution to the status of the sea. The once extensive floodplain of the Danube was severely diminished during the last two centuries. The Danube Delta is the largest wetland left along the Danube and acts as a buffer zone between the river basin and the sea, regulating the sediment and water transfer. The river, delta and marine basin function as a single geosystem. Restoration of the former wetlands will improve the quality of the aquatic resources, both freshwater and marine. Re-establishing the hydrological dynamics and connectivity is essential, since all other processes are influenced by the flow regime. The restored wetlands along the Danube floodplain and delta will then limit the carrier effect of the river and reduce the load of pollutants and nutrients transported to the sea.