THE ANALYSIS OF PRESSURES AND IMPACTS OF THE LOWER PART OF THE DANUBE RIVER

Elena Tuchiu, Adina-Mădălina David, National Administration “Romanian Waters”

Abstract

It is known that the water resources are subject to different anthropogenic pressures as result of human activities such as discharges of untreated or insufficient treated municipal and industrial wastewaters, intensive agriculture and extensive farming, hydromorphological changes and other activities. An assessment of the susceptibility of the lower part of the Danube River surface water bodies to different type of pressures was carried. Based on this, pollution by organic matter, nutrients and priority substances as well as hydromorphological alterations have been identified as significant water management issues. This was an intermediate step in identifying the water bodies at risk of failing the environmental quality objective of surface waters laid down in the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD). The entire analysis will help in designing robust monitoring programmes and establishing appropriate programme of measures with the final goal of reducing or phasing out of pollution with these types of substances and ensuring the WFD environmental objectives.