WATER TEMPERATURE VARIATION IN THE SALTY LAKES IN PRAHOVA’S SUBCARPATHIANS

Simona Bretcan

Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest

Abstract

Water temperature variation of the salty lakes of Telega and Doftana is influenced by meteorological parameters (air temperature, precipitation, air humidity, wind speed and cloudiness), the long and short wave radiation fluxes received / sent (they are influenced by the relative position of the sun in celestial vault at sunrise, noon and sunset), water salinity and waters’ distribution on vertical, as well as lakes’ mode of exploitation. Measurements carried out between May and November 2011 stressed the existence of some significant changes of temperature’s distribution on vertical, instead of the data existing during the previous time period in literature (1964 - 2011), the most important being recorded in Doftana lake, due to the considerable decrease of the salty water horizon. During the hot season, when therapeutic bath processes are intensive in Dulce - Telega lake, up to a 3.3 m depth, temperature is uniform, while in Stavrică – Telega lake there is a direct thermal stratification. In November, when the therapeutic bath processes are over, the helio-thermal phenomenon reappears in Dulcea lake, while in Doftana and Stavrică lakes there is a uniform stratification, specific to autumn season.

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