CLEANING UP THE LAKE ĆELIJE FROM NUTRIENTS AND SEDIMENTS

Poprasic Bratislav, Markovic Goran, NVO The Ecologic Center of Kruševac, Republic of Serbia

Abstract

Location of the project: is on the Republic of Serbia, distance of 40 km from the regional road Belgrade – Niš, on the way to National Park Kopaonik. Project location is situated 18km upstream the River Rasina from Kruševac. According to the Serbian Institute for Nature Protection and data from 2004, on the lake Ćelije area there are: 278 plant species, 17 amphibian and reptile species, 8 fish species and 117 bird species (32 of them closely bind to aquatic habitats). There are also 31 species of mammals. Within drainage basin of lake Ćelije we have pressures: waste water discharges (domestic and industrial), land use, agriculture, poaching and tourism, raw water extraction, erosion, out of date of some plans for protection, poor implementation and/or non existing legal framework.Water supply and hydro-accumulation: Lake currently serves as a source of drinking water for about 130.000 citizens of Rasina district, there are plans for future water supply from the Ćelije reservoir of around 270.000 inhabitants in the municipalities of Kruševac, Aleksandrovac, Ćićevac, Varvarin and Trstenik under the prepared Regional Water Supply Scheme, installed water capacity of hydro-accumulation is 41.000.000 m3, hydro-accumulation have length of about 10km with three hydrological basins: Zlatari, Vasici and Vodozahvat.
Project is directly dealing with following: lowering of eutrophication processes in lake Ćelije, creation of natural balance of aquatic species in Lake Ćelije, lowering nutrient loading from river Rasina, lowering erosion processes and sedimentation load entering into the Lake. Ways to achieve project aims: best agricultural practice application, promotion of eco-farming and organic agriculture and alternative rural development, promotion of ph neutral detergents, the nutrient reduction best practice trough pilot demonstration: construction of two types of biological filter: “green comb” and “wet fields” on the part of Rasina River confluence into the Lake Ćelije, establishing green belt around the Lake and afforestation in upper watershed to reduce erosion. Type: “green comb”- aquatic plants, primarily reed and rush. Function of biological filter: mechanical retention and deposition of erosion sediment, mechanical removal of plants and dealing with eutrophication: frequent cutting of green and dry biomass of water plants in area of delta Rasina. Results: decrease of nutrients in lake water, aeration of mud, increase of dissolved oxigen in water, decrease of lake heating in delta area during summer, protection of fish spawn in first year of life, good conditions for nesting birds.