Changes in water quality and runoff in the Upper Oder River Basin

Abstract

The aim of the study is the analysis of runoff and water quality changes in the Upper Oder River Basin above the Krapkowice gauging station (catchment area A = 10 720.6 km 2). The issue of water quality is of particular importance to Poland, which has comparatively poor water resources compared with many countries of the European Union (EU). What is more, large pollutant loads in the upper course of the Oder pose huge problems for water consumers and users in its middle and lower course (including Germany) and pollute the Baltic Sea. Changes in 7 indices of water pollution, including BOD 5 and COD (synthetic indices), sulphates, chlorides and suspended matter (mineral substances) and nitrates and phosphates (biogenic substances), were investigated for 8 monitoring sites. The study spans the period before and after political transformation in Poland and the Czech Republic, which significantly altered the economies of these countries. In addition, the patterns of runoff changes were analysed at 3 gauging stations: Chałupki, Krzyżanowice and Miedonia, which were also water quality monitoring points. The analysis encompassed 2 periods: 1970–2000 and 1991–2000. The results demonstrated that poor water quality in the Oder improved significantly during the 1990s, as the result of closure of many industries and plants, improvement of sewage treatment and noticeable increases in runoff causing greater dilution of pollutants. As the EU Water Framework Directive is implemented, better water and sewage management can be expected that will contribute to further improvement of water quality in the Oder. However, problems that remain to be solved are the issues of saline mine waters and surface washings and the long-term accumulation of many hazardous substances in bottom sediments in rivers and reservoirs.