Primary Cause of Water Pollution in the Headwaters of River Cibin, Central Romania, With Special Reference to Sheep Overgrazing

Abstract

Hydrological investigations were conducted through August into September 2003 and August 2004 on the River Cibin in the Danube drainage system on the northern slope of the Southern Carpathians, central Romania. The main purpose of the present paper is to clarify the actual circumstances of water pollution in the headwater basin due to human activity. The concentration of dissolved substances in the river water shows the maximum value at the uppermost observation point and decreases downstream due to dilution. Such a characteristic spatial change in river water quality is significantly affected by untreated household effluent and raw sewage from a settlement, which is located on the mountain ridge. During the summer season, a marked contamination of river water is found at some particular points where sheared wool is washed directly in the river channel. From the viewpoint of the primary factor affecting water quality, the river water in the watershed is clearly classified into four categories according to the difference in concentration and composition of the major dissolved substances. It is pointed out that the distinguishing features of water quality are consistent with the nature of both land use and water use.