Democratic changes and prediction of the pollution load of the labe (elbe) river system in the ústí nad labem region of the czech republic

Abstract

After forty years of neglecting the environmental consequences of industrialisation and inadequate legislation the Labe river system in the Czech Republic has become chronically polluted. As an associate member of the European Union, the Czech Republic is now addressing its past environmental problems and aims to ensure that the water quality of the Labe river system meets European Union guidelines by the year 2010. A survey of a 20 km stretch of the river system is used to calculate the allowable waste load allocation. Comparison of allocations and the current pollutant loading, illustrates the level of effluent treatment necessary for the river system to meet the European Union guidelines for surface waters. By investigating the quantity and quality of each major point source of pollution it is possible to determine the effects of proposed improvement plans for these sources. The scale of the contamination loading allows only the large pollution sources to be addressed. Small scale and non‐point sources are omitted from the analysis.