Vişeu River Watershed (Maramureş, Romania
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VI ŞEU RIVER WATERSHED (MARAMURE Ş, ROMANIA) ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL Leti ţia, OPREAN 1, Angela, CUTEAN-BĂNĂDUC 2 and Doru, BĂNĂDUC 3 Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, [email protected] Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, [email protected] Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, [email protected] ABSTRACT : The impetus for such work has arisen from hydrobiologists’ major concern over the continuous declining quality of lotic systems as complex resources. The Vi şeu River watershed benefited in the last decade from complex biological and ecological assessments and monitoring, a fact which recommends it as a good area for management plan implementation. The approach used for this watershed management can be used as a model for other similar Carpathian watersheds of conservation interest. For this watershed under study, two management zones were revealed: I. Zones which should be managed for biodiversity conservation - Vaser Watershed, upper Ruscova Watershed, upper Vi şeu River and Vi şeu River Gorge. In these areas the natural structure of the habitats and of aquatic communities are still existing, as well as the natural dynamics of ecologic processes. Also present here are aquatic protected species like Hucho hucho, Thymallus thymallus, Cottus gobio and Cottus poecilopus ; II. Zones where resources should be used in a sustainable way - zones in which resources and lotic ecosystem services can be used within the limits of self- regulation and self-support of the ecologic systems. results based on data analyses obtained thtough 1. INTRODUCTION integrated monitoring. The impetus for this type of work has arisen from The Vi şeu River watershed (Fig. 1) is situated in the the major concerns of hydro-biologists regarding the Maramure ş Depression, in the north-west of continuous declining quality of lotic systems as Romania, near the border with Ukraine and belongs complex resources in Romania over the past seven from the administrative point of view to the decades. Maramure ş County. With a 1606 km 2 surface it is In any historical period and in almost all geographic delimited in the north and east by the Maramure ş regions, rivers were a priceless resource, but always Mountains, in the south by the Rodnei Mountains, were utilised by people with divergent interests, and in the south-west and west by the Maramure ş different methods and with significantly different Hills. The lowest altitude of the Vi şeu River basin is spatial and temporal effects. 303 m at the confluence between Vi şeu River and From the perspective of human socio-economy, lotic Tisa River, and the highest altitude is 2303 m in the ecosystems offer resources (water, substratum like Pietrosul Rodnei Peak in the Rodnei Mountains. building materials, biological resources) and (Posea et al., 1980; Posea, 1982; Chi ş, 2008). services (absorption - recycling of residues of human The source of the Vi şeu River is in Prislop Pass activities, through the natural cleaning processes). (1.416 m altitude) and flows into the Tisa River, For the sustainable management of hydrographical near the Valea Vi şeului locality, at 330 m altitude. basins, an assessment of their capacity for support The Vi şeu River collects its water from the and self-regulation is necessary. Maramure ş Mountains, Rodnei Mountains and Assessment of lotic systems should be the main Maramure ş Hills, its hydrographical basin surface action that scientists undertake to understand and being of around 1.600 km2 and the river length over document their status, causes and effects, and trends. 80 km. In the upper part, from the spring and to The second step, management, is of interest not only Moisei locality, the riverbed has high inclination (20 to researchers but also to local and regional public - 50 m/km) and the river name on this sector is authorities for environmental protection, local and called Bor şa or Vi şeu ţ. From Moisei locality, the regional public administrative authorities, physical Vi şeu River enters the Maramure ş Depression where and juridical persons, consultative councils, other the valley becomes large, and in some areas local stakeholders and mostly the Maramure ş becomes narrow forming gorges like R ădeasa Gorge Mountains Nature Park and Maramure ş Mountains (between Moisei and Vi şeu de Sus), Oblaz Gorge Natura 2000 site administration. The third step is to (between Vi şeu de Jos and Leordina) and Vi şeu check, validate, improve and extend all the obtained Gorge (between Bistra and Valea Vi şeului localities). The Vi şeu River waters are high in spring (39.4%) then start to decrease till the summer when they reach 27% of the annual total flow, in the Drago ş (L = 11 km) and Izvorul Negru (L = 7 km). autumn 18.6%, the lowest flow being registered in From the Maramure ş Mountains the right side winter 15%. In January the measurements prove the tributaries are: H ăş marul Mic, Cerc ănel (L = 11 km), fact that at Bistra is flowing only 4.5 % of the annual Ţâşla (L = 20 km), Vaser (Surface = 422 km2, L = volume, in comparison with the neighbour Iza River 52 km) which have a flow of 9 m3/s and contribute where the minimum is registered in September 27% to the total debit of the Vi şeu River, Ruscova (2.9%). The Vi şeu River basin is developed mainly (S = 435 km3; L = 39 km) have a flow of 11.3 m3/s, in mountainous areas (67 %), a fact which induces a Frumu şeaua (L = 14 km) and Bistra (L = 9 km). high density of the hydrographic net (0.7 - 1 From the Maramure ş Hills the left side tributaries km/km2) and one of the highest specific flows in the are small and have insignificant flows: Dr ăguiasa, country, due to the high precipitation of over 1.100 Bocicoi, Spinului, Pl ăiu ţ, Neagr ă and Luhei. In the mm/year. In the upper part, the tributaries which Rodnei and Maramure ş mountains are many spring in the Rodnei Mountains, have their origin in cascades and falls: Cailor Cascade, Cimpoiasa the glacial relief and have a high flow, the Valley falls, Repedea Valley falls, Izvorul Verde approximate flow being of 5 m3/s. The main (Rodnei Mountains) Valley and Criva Valley falls, tributaries in the Rodnei Mountains are: Valea Tomnatic Valley Cascade, Bard ău area falls Fântânilor (Length = 7 km), Valea Negoiasa (L = 6 (Maramure ş Mountains). (Diaconu, 1971; Ujvari, km), Valea Repedea (L = 10 km), Valea Pietroasa (L 1972; Posea et al., 1980; Ro şu, 1980; Posea, 1982; = 7 km), Vreme şu, Pârâul Hotarului, Valea lui Staicu et al., 1998; Chi ş, 2008). Figure 1. The Vi şeu River watershed. The geographic area described benefited in the last The watershed under study is dominated by decade from complex biological and ecological forestry/small rural localities and assessments and monitoring, a fact which agriculture/industry/medium sized localities. recommends it as a good area for implementation of Although the macroinvertebrate communities and a management plan, regarding the Vi şeu River fish communities may have a high degree of natural watershed. variability, they can be useful indicators of the The studied area is part of the Maramure ş Mountains status/health of aquatic ecosystems (Chapman 1992, Nature Park and of the Maramure ş Mountains Knoben et al. 1995, Hellawell 1986, De Pauw, Natura 2000 site. This work aims to sustain this Hawkes, 1992, Curtean-Bănăduc 2000, Karr 1981, protected area’s ecological quality management and Moyle & Herbold 1987, B ănăduc & Curtean- sustainable development, and the results obtained Bănăduc 2002). Also, it is recommended that are offered to this protected area administration. macroinvertebrates and fish be given consideration in biological water-quality surveys of streams because they generally are regarded by the public to be ecologically relevant, and they are in direct which induce actions to improve water quality for relation to legislative mandates because of concerns different human uses and wildlife, and to facilitate over human health and endangered species. Analysis discussion on the future human impact on this of these taxonomic groups is essential for watershed. establishment of lotic system management (Curtean- This study based on the benthic macroinvertebrates, ă ă ă ă B n duc & B n duc 2001). fish, habitat conditions and local human impact, and The dimensions of this river basin, its natural and intends to provide an identification and evaluation of economic importance, and variable and aggressive the responsible causal factors and of the alternatives, types of human impact, justify such a study for this which can gain consensus in a strategy for specific area. developing a sustainable management plan for the river, for mitigating human impact and controlling In the last few decades human impact has heavily its effects on environment, public health and increased, causing visible disruption to the welfare, including remedial objectives and response ecological functioning of the river, and research was actions. needed to assess and monitor the apparent ecological effects, to find new management actions for the new Data generated during this phase filled previously situation, and to predict some aspects of the lotic existing data gaps in order to provide a system’s future evolution. comprehensive understanding based on which the possible remedial alternatives for the human and In spite of the fact that the rivers of this basin were, ecological risk situations was evaluated. The are and will be very important in the urban and rural biological assessment was used to characterize the development, and in the development of the response of the aquatic environment to multiple economy of Bor şa, Moisei, Vi şeu de Sus, Vi şeu de disturbances, considering that the integrity of the Mijloc, Vi şeu de Jos, Leordina, Ruscova, Repedea, biota inhabiting the river ecosystems provides a Poienile de sub Munte, Petrova, Crasna Vi şeului, direct and integrated measure of the integrity or Bistra localities by serving as the main water supply, health of the river.