Water quality measurement stations installed at various locations on theBlack Sea’s shores tell us that during summer, the level of bacteria and other microorganisms in the water increases due to the higher number of tourists and   also because   the   Danube and   its tributaries   discharge analarmingly   high amount   of pollutants   in the   sea.   The   water   quality measurement stations operating on the Romanian littoral are (starting from the north and continuing southwards): Gura Buhaz, Cap Midia, FertilchimNăvodari, Constanța Nord Pescărie, Port Constanța – Berth 34, Berth 69,Berth 78, Berth 84 -86, Port Constanța Sud – island 5 m, Constanța SudPort Entrance – 20 m, Eforie Nord Belona, Eforie Sud-Southern seawall,Costinești, Avanport Mangalia and Vama-Veche. The stations record various chemical and physical parameters, such as pH(which ranged between 7.1 and 8.8, meaning that the water is neutral or slightly alkaline), seawater temperature (between 7.8 0C – 25 0C,depending on the season), salinity of coastal waters (with a 2009 average value of 14.3 g ‰, comparable to the value recorded in the previous year,of 14.08 g ‰).

At the stations installed at berths 84-86 and 34, where wastewater is discharged in the sea, salinity was lower, with values of12.34 g ‰, and 9.75 g ‰ respectively.Using data provided by the Apele Române National Water Administration(A.N.A.R.), the levels of dissolved oxygen in coastal areas vary between7.1 – 9.5 mg/dm3. The organic load of water, measured using the CCO-Mnand CBO5 methods, yielded values of 3.95 – 7.41 mg O2/dm3 (CCO-Mnmethod) and 1.05 – 1.92 mg O2/dm3 (CBO5 method). The highest values came from the stations located at Constanța Sud Berth 69 (4.75 – 76.68mg O2/dm3 CCO-Mn and 2.98 – 19.8 mg O2/dm3 CBO5). Phenols and detergents were found to be more abundant in seawater at the following stations:- detergents: Constanța Nord Fishery – at the shore – 0.16 mg/dm3; Berth34 – 0.245 mg/dm3; Berth 69 – 0.346 mg/dm3; Berth 78 – 0.179 mg/dm3;Berth 84–86 – 0.219 mg/dm3- Phenols: Berth 69 – 0.074 mg/dm3Among heavy metals, mercury was found at almost every monitoring station, with high values. The quantitative analysis of phytoplankton yielded the lowest values in the Eforie Sud Southern seawall (average values for phytoplankton biomass and taxon numbers of 44.56 mg/dm3 with a density of 31.375 ex/dm3) andCostinești stations (average values for phytoplankton biomass and taxon numbers of 40.71 mg/dm3 with a density of 13.593 ex/dm3).Thus, we can notice a series of alarming values for several water quality parameters in littoral areas, which can endanger both marine life and the population’s health, as it is also shown in the analysis carried out by the Romanian Ministry of Health, which, for the 2013 – 2017 interval,downgraded the quality of bathing waters from an average of “excellent” almost sites to an increasing number of locations which provide only a “good level of water quality”, because of the increasing presence of Escherichiacoli and Enterococcus microorganisms.All these excessive levels of pollutants lead to a decrease in commercial fish stocks, affect fish farming, determine a loss of habitats that serve as a foundation for biological resources, cause the disappearance of endangered species, determine the replacement of indigenous animals with exotic invading species, provide an inadequate level of protection for marine and coastal resources in the case of accidental pollution and offer inadequate conditions for tourists on the beaches and for bathing in the sea.To sum up, we can say that the Black Sea faces serious problems in terms of water quality, which cause difficulties for both wildlife and humans.Therefore, we advise you to be as kind as you can with the environment and do your best to help preserve it, so that we may keep the Black Sea in good shape and enjoy it for generations to come!

Picture source: https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marea_Neagr%C4%83

Article written by Mitache Iulia Cristina, a 3rd year student of the Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, Department of Meteorology and hydrology, and translated by Mihail Andreas Mitoseriu.

• Framework Water Directive (2000/60 / CE);
• Directive concerning the management of bathing water quality (2006/7 / CE) (abrogated by  76/160 / CEE);
• Directive on underground waters (2006/118 / CE);
• Directive on flooding (2007/56 / CE);
• Framework directive for a maritime strategy (2008/56 / CE).
• EU  Water Policy, 2007
• Drinking water regulation of 2007(n ° 2)
• EU  Environmental objectives (surface waters) Regulation 2009 (SI n ° 272 / 2009)
• EU  Environmental objectives(underground waters) Regulation 2010 (SI n ° 9/ 2010)
• EU  Regulation (best practices in agriculture for protecting water,) 2010 (SI n ° 610 / 2010)

Usually, the regulations concerning surface waters create a vast array of environmental norms for the surface waters of Romania. The environmental objectives that have to be achieved include rules and threshold values for classifying surface and also underground waters, including rules for protecting underground waters against pollution and degradation.

In order to improve the use of existing data, it is necessary both to improve their interpretation and analysis and also to communicate data to the public and to other users in a clear and understandable fashion, thus improving the quality of information without significant expenses.

Among the most influential institutions in the development, implementation and management of the Romanian water information system is the European Environmental Agency, which hosts the Water Data Centre and the thematic pages of the Web WISE (Water Information System for European Countries). In addition to the already well-known specifications for managing hydrological risk situations (both floods and droughts), the European Environmental Agency is responsible for two other complementary sectors, connected to the issue of water use:

a.  The bathing water section of the European Water Information System (WISE), available on the EEE bathing water website (http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/interactive/bathing/state-of-bathing -Eaux) allows the visualization of bathing water quality for more than 22.000 littoral and inland beaches all across Europe. Data is organized and displayed at national level and at resort level. Detailed information for specific bathing sites are given through pop-up windows (which can be activated by clicking on a bathing site) and hyperlinks which open up pop-up windows containing profiles of bathing waters.

b.      Data on bathing water quality for 2013 and previous years can also be consulted, together with any other data on bathing water. The WISE bathing water data visualization instrument integrates text and graphical representations, allowing quick access to the location of both littoral and inland bathing waters, and providing statistical data on their quality. The specific locations of the bathing waters can be visualized with Google Earth, Google Maps or Bing Maps.

Additionally, the INSPIRE geo-portal offers means for researching spatial data series and services for spatial data and imposes restrictions on the access to such data, in order to protect the data series of EU member states within the framework of the INSPIRE directive. Furthermore, in the Black Sea Basin, procedures, transfers, interoperability and data conditions for WISE create a solid technological platform, reliable and already tested for the development of an information mechanism, due to the fact that the above mentioned elements form the basis of any rule and initiative in this field.

In brief, and concerning only Romania, without taking into account the river system of the Black Sea Basin, the gathering and updating of data in the electronic water management system falls within the competence of the national database administered by the National Water Administration Agency ”Apele Romane”, and involves mainly the flood risk maps.

What remains to be done is to go to the heart of our present situation and to present the most important informational resources available today in Romania when it comes to water information systems:

• The maps of floodplains, including the positions and features of flood protection systems;
• The GIS map database – necessary for determining and analyzing the environmental impact of hydrological risks, both natural and man-made;
• Data on existing water information systems, norms/ organizational rules for hydraulic works;
• Recently finalized or ongoing projects on measures for flood protection – the implementation of the action plan adopted by the short-term strategy.

Contrary to existing flood protection plans, the maps of areas at risk from flooding, drafted under the supervision of the National Water Administration Agency ”Apele Romane”, show with great precision the flooded areas. In certain cases, they prove to be a useful water information instrument, able to provide data on water speed, depth during floods, flow for various surpassing probabilities (0,1%, 1%, 5%, 10%) and data on floods that occur once every 1000, 100 or 20 years.

Once provided for both local and national authorities, GIS products based on data from hydrological risk maps will play a decisive role in

-    determining damage and evacuation areas for the population.

-    reducing expenses, due to the fact that data provided is available for a wide range of environmental parameters.

The first results have been significant. The information regarding Europe (WISE) and the countries of the Black Sea Basin are already available and useful. It is important to remember that the time needed for the recovery of aquatic environments and water table is directly affected by the results of the water initiative and the framework directive on water, which have to be addressed at the first level of interoperability (networks, procedures and data transfer).

Sources:

1. Metelka, T., Pryl, K., Suchanek, M., 2010, L’utilisation de la technologie hydro-informatique en Europe centrale et orientale au cours de la dernière décennie. In Novatech 2010, France.
2. AQUASTAT system : http://www.apipnm.org/swlwpnr/reports/y_nr/z_tr/tr.htm
3. Slope basin of the Black Sea. Available at: http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/water/blanks/assessment/black.pdf
4. Romanian GIS e-platform. available at www.geo-spatial.org
5. EUROWATERNET and Waterbase, European Environmental Agency. Available at: http://edz.bib.uni-mannheim.de/daten/edz-bn/eua/04/Eurowaternet_final_low_res.pdf
6. The international DHI group for the MIKE URBAN Project – mikebydhi.com/Products/Cities/MIKEURBAN.aspx
7. The European Commission website for the environment/ Water section – water.europa.eu
8. Website of the Danube FLOODRISK Project – www.biodiversity.ro/atlas
9. European website for water information at a national level– floods.jrc.ec.europa.eu/national-water-level-information.html
10. Official website of the National Water Administration Agency ”Apele Romane” -  www.rowater.ro
11. UN Environmental Program – The Black Sea : http://www.unep.org/regionalseas/programmes/nonunep/blacksea/
12. WIS for Europe:  http://water.europa.eu/

Article written by Gabriela Moroșanu and translated by Mihail Mitoșeriu.