Water in Celtic Countries: Quantity, Quality and Climate Variability (Proceedings of the Fourth InterCeltic Colloquium on Hydrology and Management of Water Resources, Guimarães, Portugal, July 2005). IAHS Publ. 310, 2007, 128-138.
An indicator system for surface water quality in
river basins
R. E. S. Oliveira, M. M. C. L. Lima &
J. M. P. Vieira
Departamento de Engenharia Civil, Escola
de Engenharia da Universidade do Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
jvieira@civil.uminho.pt
Abstract Public utilities, agricultural and industrial economic sectors, and ecosystems depend on the water supplied by the natural environment. The European Water Framework Directive requirements, water demands and key surface water pollution problems identified in a river basin, lead to the need to develop a surface water quality indicator system. This tool allows the assessment of the pressure-state-impact of human activities on natural waters. This paper presents a methodology used for the development and application of an indicator system in the Portuguese River Ave basin, based on the conceptual Pressure-State-Response model, and on chemical and hydro-morphological water quality parameters. It is shown that the most relevant questions for the implementation of an indicator system for the surface waters of this river basin are: eutrophication, bacterial contamination, presence of organic mater, oxidation state and organic metals coming from industrial wastewater discharges.
Key words Ave River basin; European Water Framework
Directive; surface waters; water quality indicators; water resources management