WATER AND GEOSCIENCE
Water Resources in Upper Ialomita River Basin (Carpathians, Subcarpathians, Romania)
OVIDIU MURĂRESCU, GICA PEHOIU Department of Geography University “Valahia” of Târgovi te Str. Lt. Stancu Ion, no. 34 36A, Târgovi te ROMANIA [email protected], [email protected]
Abstract. Fitting IalomiŃa upper river basin began in the interwar period of the last century and was intensified after the flood that took place in the 70s during the same century. In this context, we can speak of an anthropized river system for 72 km of the river (from springs altitude over 2400 meters, to the contact with the High Plain of Targoviste). Some water resources and reserves were reduced, making the degree of satisfaction to be between 50 75%. The karst hydrostructures from the mountainous area could meet the water needs of downstream consumers (subcarpathian area), but they are insufficiently controlled and estimated, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Totaled, the two resources surface water and groundwater reach a volume of water of 521.45 billion cubic meters / year.
Key words: hydrographical basin, IalomiŃa, water resources, hydrostructures, surface water, groundwater.
1 Geographic Setting and take the form of various hydrostructures. The basin area of upper IalomiŃa is 686 km2, which represents 6.62% of the total basin area of 3 Alpine Hydrostructures 10,350 km2 . Ialomita River, originating in the The hydrostructure of Bucegi Massif. Bucegi Mountains, at over 2300 m, crosses the According to the position of the permeable rock mountainous and hilly area up to Targoviste, formations in relation to the waterproof formations covering 71 km (17.03% of the total length of 417 in the foundation and to the drainage system, in the km), going down a slope of approx. 2010 m. It Bucegi Massif we can single out three types of presents a coefficient of sinuosity of 1.88 on its hydrostructures (Al. Istrate, 2002): entire course, with values slightly lower in the Karst hydrostructures mountainous and hilly areas (between 1 1.50). The Bucegi north hydrostructure and Tatarului density of the hydrographic network is between Gorge Scropoasa hydrostructure, formed in the 0.100 0.260 km/km2. limestone deposits of the Jurassic and of the At the contact between the hills and plains, Cretaceous period, in the superior conglomerates IalomiŃa has an average flow of 7.97 m3 / s (11.61 facies of Bucegi; l/s/km2). the Lespezi Orza and Rătei hydrostruc tures, formed in the Jurassic calcareous stones; 2 Water Resources Raciu Piscu cu Brazi hydrostructure, Groundwaters constitute an important formed in the calcareous breccias facies of Raciu resource of water, with superior characteristics by and in the superior conglomerate facies of Bucegi; comparison with surface water. They are frequently Hhydrostructures with fissure triggered used to supply water to population and economic primary and secondary intergranular porosity: units. Groundwater in the Carpathian and sub the hydrostructure of Bucegi Cuesta Carpathian area belonging to upper IalomiŃa river the hydrostructure of Brându ei micro basin, is influenced by the geological formations depression; (tectonic, petrographic variety, physical and Hydrostructures with intergranular poro chemical rock properties, thickness of the deposits, sity, delimited within the granular deposits etc.) and so we encounter phreatic and deep water the hydrostructure of the frontal till from structures. They originate in the ford of the river, the springs of IalomiŃa river; the hydrostructure of the alluvial plain of
ISSN: 1790-5095 84 ISBN: 978-960-474-160-1 WATER AND GEOSCIENCE
Ialomita river. between the crystalline foundation of Leaota and the The North Bucegi karst hydrostructure is sedimentary layer belonging to the flysch area and supplied with water by the rain and the snow, by to the superior conglomerates facies of Bucegi. leakage of surface water from the Leaota crystalline The drainage occurs on the southern and and the direct infiltration of rainfall in the superior south western slope of ColŃii Dichiului Mount and conglomerates facies of Bucegi. The drainage of this is given by two groups of springs. The first group structure is located in the eastern slope, by the discharges its waters in Ialomita River, and the springs that appear in the alignment Morarului second in Scropoasa Valley. So the flow of this Valley in the north and Pelesului valley in the south, hydrostructure reaches Ialomita river. The water in the following points: Jepilor valley, Urlătoarea bearing potential of these springs in natural regime Mare valley and Urlătoarea Mică Valley, Babei has a cumulative minimum flow of 220 l/s (95% Valley, Pele Valley, which amount to a flow of assurance) and a maximum flow ranging around approximately 500 l/s. 800 1000 l/s. The flow of these sources is These springs occur at the same altitude as influenced by the water loss of Bolboci lake and the springs of the depression of Padina: the spring could constitute a source of water in the area of upstream of Bears’ Cave (Pe tera Ur ilor), Horoaba, water deficit situated in the Subcarpathians of Coteanu and Păstrăvăriei springs with water IalomiŃa, between IalomiŃa and Cricovul Dulce. discharges oriented south and southeast. The South of the Scropoasa lake takes shape the hydrostructural water discharge east and southeast is Lespezi Orzei karst hydrostructure, which is influenced by the tectonics of the area, and by the intersected by IalomiŃa river, up to the crystalline faults oriented east west or north west south east. foundation. At the contact between the crystalline The appearance of the crystalline fundament and the limestone, there are several temporary, small at the surface, due to the erosion of IalomiŃa and of springs. One of them is captured and used to provide its tributaries from the right side (Horoaba and with water the limestone quarry from Lespezi. Coteanu) suggests that this hydrostructure is limited On the level of the depression of Rătei, a southwards. The southern limitation of this karst system develops in the northern slope of Rătei hydrostructure by the structural uplifting of the Valley, a tributary of IalomiŃa River. Following the crystalline foundation could explain the overflow loss of surface water of the valley, through a system nature of the springs on the eastern slope of the of cracks and from the surface waters, theRătei Bucegi massif and even the karst springs of Padina surface hydrostructure has been formed. It presents depression. The existence of the breccias of Raciu in a spring that has been captured since 1910 and used the basis could explain the high water bearing to supply Targoviste town with water. Rătei Spring potential of this zone. has a flow ranging from 16 l/s to 45 l/s. Currently, there are no systematic In the eastern part of the Bucegi Massif is measurements on the flows of the springs on the located a hydrostructure situated in Raciu syncline, eastern slope of the Bucegi Mountains, which have in which we can distinguish: the depression of Raciu only been estimated at a minimum flow of 225 l/s in the north and the depression Piscu cu Brazi in the and an average flow of 500 l/s. south, extending towards IalomiŃa basin westwards, Horoaba Spring is the most important spring up to Ialomicioara de Sus Valley (Runcu). in the depression of Padina, with flow values In the depression of Raciu there is an initial between 57 l/s and 160 l/s. spring at the contact between the calcareous breccias Coteanu Spring, comes second in the of Raciu and a crystalline plot that appears at the depression of Padina regarding the volume of water, surface on the right side of the IalomiŃa River. This with flow values between 62 l/s and 93 l/s. spring is intermittent, with a flow of 4 l/s and 5 l/s, Downstream of Cheile Mici ale Tătarului, being intersected by the upstream waterway on the right slope, there is Păstrăvăriei Spring, with Dobre ti Gâlma. On the axis of Raciu syncline, flow values between 19 l/s and 53 l/s. there appear the Gâlma springs, in the left slope of As a result, most of the flow of the North IalomiŃa River, with a flow of 10 12 l/s and captured Bucegi hydrostructure is discharged towards in the 1970s to supply with water the town of Prahova Valley and only a part to IalomiŃei Valley. Pucioasa. On the southern flank of this syncline South of Cheile Tătarului is delimited the there are several more small streams, some captured Cheile Tătarului Scropoasa hydrostructure, which for the Hydroelectric Power Plant Gâlma Moroeni. overlaps the depressions of Bolboci and Zanoaga. Also in Raciu syncline, there is a second The storage and circulation of the group of springs with a flow of 5 7 l/s, located on groundwater is generated by the relationship TâŃa Valley, which was captured between 1987
ISSN: 1790-5095 85 ISBN: 978-960-474-160-1 WATER AND GEOSCIENCE
1988, to supply with water the locality of Dealu with the Miocene ones. Their flow rate is Frumos. In the same syncline, there is also a smaller fluctuating, depending on the amount of rainfall in spring on the left of Ialomicioara de Sus Valley, the area. downstream from the confluence with the Vaca In the Neocene deposits formed from an Valley. It has a flow of 3 4 l/s and was captured in alternation of grit stones, marls, conglomerates and the years 1984 1985, to supply with water the Sarmatian limestone, there appear water bearing village of Runcu. horizons which are fed with waters coming from the The hydrostructures with fissure triggered strata ends or on the fault lines, and, because the primary and secondary intergranular porosity are water passes through salt yielding and gyps yielding found in Albian deposits. They generate many clays, there appear springs with low flows and a springs with low flows, such as: high mineralization degree. the diffuse springs from the left slope of Important groundwater resources are IalomiŃa river, at the contact with the Scropoasa present in the Quaternary formations. The Lăptici facies along the Bucegi Cuesta; aquiferous complex structures of these deposits are the springs of the Brându ei Valley and found in the interfluves, composed of the eluvia of Porcului Valley, at the contact between the the leveling surfaces and the diluvial and colluvial gritstones of Babele and Scropoasa Lăptici facies; deposits of the slopes. Through the slope deposits the spring of the western slope of Ialomita takes place the drainage of the groundwaters from valley, downstream from the confluence with the interfluvial areas towards the terraces and Tătarului Valley, with a flow rate of approximately meadows. 10 l/s, which occurs at the contact between the In the area of terraces, the aquifers are fed Bucegi conglomerates and the crystalline by rainfall and natural discharge from the foundation; neighboring slopes. The piezometric level in the the spring behind the Padina chalet, linked terraces varies between 3 10 m, and the drainage to the conglomerates of Bucegi. directions are generally towards the axis of the valley corridors. 4 Subcarpathian Hydrostructures In the structural geological units of the Sub The sub Carpathian sector consisting of Carpathians can be distinguished, based on the Myo Pliocene formations with a wide variety of research conducted to date, several water bearing sedimentary rocks influences the position and the structures: characteristics of the groundwater. The lithological the internal flysch area has little makeup, characterized by an alternation of groundwater, but it is drinkable. There are some permeable horizons (conglomerates, grit stones, occurrences of mineral waters in the area Dealu gravels, sand) and impermeable horizons (clays and Mare – Dealu Frumos; marls) with non homogeneous thicknesses and the external flysch area, also with modest presence of faults, hydrocarbon resources and salt groundwater resources, but drinkable. Drinking pits, influences the distribution, the location and water that could be used, but with a low potential, chemical characteristics of the groundwater. can be found in the Dacian Romanian deposits in The sub Carpathian area is characterized by the axis of Valea Lungă syncline located north of an average groundwater feeding potential in relation Moreni town and in the axis of Gura BărbuleŃ to the quantities of precipitation that are syncline; differentiated, depending on the altitude. The high the trench area provides favorable degree of fragmentation of the relief and the non conditions for the storage and circulation of the homogeneous forest vegetation carpet reduce water groundwater through the filling of the Dacian basin infiltration, leading to a rapid drain on the inclined with river lake deposits. slope, favoring surface drainage rather than In the latter is separated the internal trench infiltration in the underground. on the level of the Romanian Upper Pleistocene The Paleocene deposits, spread on extensive deposits, where a highly dynamic hydrostructure areas in the northern part of the Sub Carpathian appears, given by the contour conditions, which area, consisting of grit stones, marls and clays, have leads to the restoration of the groundwater reserve. a reduced groundwater storage capacity due to poor This hydrostructure which has an average potential water supply by means of the fissure systems. This offers significant perspectives and occupies the favors the presence of springs along the fault lines interfluves DâmboviŃa Arges and Prahova – situated at the contact of the Paleocene formations Cricovul Dulce, on the level of Edera Satu Banului syncline. It has an important water bearing structure
ISSN: 1790-5095 86 ISBN: 978-960-474-160-1 WATER AND GEOSCIENCE
for the area, given the scarcity of the water the rivers in the area under analysis, important in the resources in the area. valorization of the water resources for different The external trench, which makes the socio economic goals. passage to the Wallachian platform, which worked In order to assess this quantitative parameter as an area of fluvial lacustrian storage up to the and to highlight its aspects, we analyzed and Holocene, consists of Quaternary deposits with processed series of average monthly and annual thicknesses of 100 300 m. In the latter can be flows for different periods, depending on the separated several hydrostructures with a significant duration of functioning of the hydrometric station. water bearing potential: In this respect, we have analyzed the liquid flows the Upper Pleistocene hydrostructure, at from a number of 22 hydrometric stations, and the contact with the piedmont plains southwards: noticed a remarkable variability in time and space of Targoviste, Pintenul Măgurii; the average flow. the Upper Holocene hydrostructure, along Ialomita River, along its 71 km course from the main hydrographic arteries, up to the area of the its springs to Targoviste, has a module flow growing internal flysch. constantly from 1.15 m3/ s at the entrance to Bolboci From the above, we remark an uneven Lake up to 7.97 m3/ s at Targoviste. distribution of the underground water resources, Because of the hydro arrangements along it, with a concentration in the southern and western there appear a number of changes in the liquid flow sector and a major deficit in the sub Carpathian regime, the affluent module flow in the storage flysch area. lakes Bolboci, Pucioasa, Doice ti being higher than Most important are the hydrostructures of the diffluent flow, which is dictated by the needs of the Lower Pleistocene, Upper Pleistocene and water supply of the socio economic units Upper Holocene. downstream. These lakes have the role of regulating The hydrostructure of the Lower Pleistocene the liquid flow along the year, in order to mitigate is characteristic of Cânde ti gravel deposits, with an flood waves or draught phenomena that may occur. estimated flow of approx. 1500 l/s and Edera Satu So, if the module affluent flow into the Banului syncline, which may provide a flow of 330 Bolboci Lake is 1.15 m3/ s, the diffluent one is 0.81 l/s, of which between 75 80% is exploited for the m3/ s, increasing at Moroeni to 6.88 m3/ s, town of Moreni and the localities Măgureni decreasing again at Pucioasa to 5.58 m3/ s and Filipe tii de Pădure. increasing at Tirgoviste to 7.97 m3/ s . The Upper Pleistocene hydrostructure is From the alpine region, IalomiŃa receives characteristic for the southern piedmont plains, with only one important tributary, Ialomicioara Leaotei, flow rates estimated between 100 and 750 l/s, which has a module flow of 0.81 m3/ s in Fieni. exploited for the water supply of the towns in that In the sub Carpathian area there are a geographic area. number of tributaries of IalomiŃa River, a part of The Upper Holocene hydrostructure is them discharging their waters in this area and others situated close to the surface, and has been in the southern plain. These rivers’ module flows researched in the meadow and lower terrace area of record average values ranging from 0.17 m3/s the hydrographic network, in order to turn it into a (Slănic at Gura Ocnita) and 1.0 m3/s (Bizdidel, at source of water supply. This hydrostructure is Pucioasa). affected quantitatively by the erosion and by the In the years 1981, 1990, 1991, 1997, 1998, exploitation of the material from the meadows, there were recorded higher rates than the multi which has led to a lowering of the water bed of yearly average for all the hydrometric stations in the approx. 1.50 3 m, while the main source of area. Very low yearly flow averages were recorded restoration for the groundwater is the water from the in the years 1961, 1964 and 1968, at the existing rivers. hydrometric stations of that period, and during It is estimated, for the meadow and the 1986 1990, 1993 and 2000, at all the stations lower terrace of the Ialomita river, a flow of 67 l/s, situated in the area under analysis. This allows us to upstream Fieni, also exploited at the surface. notice a succession of periods with high flows in the intervals 1969 1985 and 2005 2007, and with low 5 Surface Water Resources flows 1961 1968 and 1986 1990. Average leakage is the most synthetic The liquid flow is influenced by the indicator of water resources within a hydrographic hydrotechnical constructions (Bolboci, Scropoasa, system. It represents the potential water resources of Pucioasa, Doice ti), which impose an antrophized flow regime. So, at the entrance to Bolboci Lake,
ISSN: 1790-5095 87 ISBN: 978-960-474-160-1 WATER AND GEOSCIENCE
the average monthly flow with the highest values and Cricovul Dulce, they have a similar evolution has been recorded during the period May June concerning the regime of the average monthly liquid (56%) and with the lowest values during the interval leakage. Their largest volumes of water are recorded November March (5.97%). in March April (between 30 40%), with a tendency At the diffluence from the lake, the flows to decrease in August, when we can note a slight are highest during January March (35.34%) and increase (8 10%), followed by a continuous August September (32.57%) and lowest during decrease until October, when the minimum value is April May (6.46%). This is due to the high needs of recorded (1 2%). A significant increase is found in water supply of the consumers downstream during December (7 11%), followed by a decrease in the above mentioned periods and the restoration of January and an increase in February. the water supply during the maximum alimentation Regarding the water quality and the sources of the lake. of water pollution, there is a distinction between the Where the river enters the Subcarpathians, two major units of relief. In the mountains, most at Moroeni, high values of the liquid leakage are river courses are permanent, with a flow of over 0.5 observed in the interval of April June (39.63%) and m3/ s, with a higher quality (hydrochemical type: in the months of August (8.85%) and February calcic bicarbonated, with a mineralization around (8.23%). Volumes of water drained in February may 200 mg / l or even lower in the high areas). These be explained by the penetration of warmer air waters fall into the first category of quality, and in masses from the IalomiŃa valley, leading to the terms of saprobicity they belong to the melting of the snow, and in August, due to torrential oligosaprobic class (IalomiŃa up to Dobre ti). rainfall of short duration. Ialomita River is polluted by the limestone The lowest share of the liquid leakage is exploitation from Lespezi, an increased water recorded in the months of October November and turbidity being recorded due to the discharge in the January (4 5%) either due to evaporation, or the river of the water used in this quarry. occurrence of the winter phenomena. Concerning the water quality in the area of The influence of the storage lake from the Subcarpathian Hills, we shall point out that most Pucioasa is felt in the monthly average of the liquid small arteries in the potential fall into the leakage in that the liquid leakage presents hydrochemical type of calcic bicarbonated waters, approximately equal values in the April August with a mineralization between 200 500 mg / l, interval (between 8 14%) and in December (9.31%). except for some that are affected by chlorinated In the other months of the year, the liquid leakage is mineral springs, such as Vulcana, Slănic and between 4 6%. This can be explained by the role the Cricovul Dulce, tributaries of IalomiŃa. The latter lake has in regulating the hydrological regime of belong to the hydrochemical type of calcic IalomiŃa River, reducing flood waves and supplying bicarbonated waters with a tendency towards with water the socio economic objectives in the area sodium chlorinated, with a degree of mineralization of Pucioasa town. of over 500 mg / l. At Târgoviste the highest volumes of water The oil related activity in the area of the are recorded during April June (41.5%). From June hydrographic basins of Slănic and Cricovul Dulce, until November, the volume of fluid leakage in the southern part of the Subcarpathians, on the decreases steadily, registering a slight increase in alignment of the settlements Aninoasa Razvad December, after which it decreases until April. Gura Ocnita Moreni, both through exploitation and Concerning the tributaries that IalomiŃa through the oil transport and processing network, receives in its upper basin, differences can be are sources of pollution for the surface waters. observed between Ialomicioara, which springs from The sources of pollution from the fruit the alpine area (Leaota), and those whose sources growing area of the Subcarpathians should not be are found in the Subcarpathians. neglected either, as a part of the treatment with Ialomicioara presents a rich liquid leakage insecticides fungicides ends up in the hydrographic in the April June (40%), after which it decreases network, through superficial drainage. steadily, registering the lowest values in October In this context of the economic activities, the and November (between 3 4%). In December, a water quality of the autochthonous Subcarpathian slight increase (8%) is recorded, then follows a rivers is low (categories II and III), but the lack of decrease in January, after which the values continue measurement points allows only for a subjective to go down. assessment. However, Cricovul Dulce up to Iedera, Regarding the tributaries from the belongs to the first category of quality, and between Subcarpathians, namely Bizdidel, Vulcan, Slănic Iedera and Moreni, to the 2nd category of quality. As
ISSN: 1790-5095 88 ISBN: 978-960-474-160-1 WATER AND GEOSCIENCE
for the allochtonous rivers, they belong to the 2nd [2] Dimitrios Dikos, Contesting Discourses of category of quality. Water saving: the Dilemma of under utilised The important polluting sources for IalomiŃa Infrastructure versus over exploited Water River are the industrial activities, between Moroeni Resources, 4th IASME/WSEAS International and Doice ti and, of course, the household waste Conference on Energy, Environment, from larger settlements: Moroeni, Pietro iŃa, Fieni, Ecosystems and Sustainable Development Pucioasa, Doice ti. IalomiŃa. (EEESD’08), Algarve, Portugal, June 11 13, All along its subcarpathian route, IalomiŃa 2008, pp. 360 365. belongs to the beta mesosaprobic category and [3] Istrate Al., Sisteme hidrocarstice din Masivul downstream from Doice ti in the beta alpha Bucegi, Editura Cetatea de Scaun, Târgovi te, mesosaprobic category. 2002. [4] Koutseris Ε., Dioudis P., Filintas Αg., Strategic 6 Conclusions and Operational Environmental Planning of Given the genesis and development of water Aquatic Resources in Thessaly Basin in Greece, resources, we can notice that there are a number of Proc. of the 3rd IASME/WSEAS Int. Conf. on features arising from physical and geographical Energy, Environment, Ecosystems and conditions of local and regional. In light of these Sustainable Development, Agios Nikolaos, circumstances, both the hydrographic and Greece, July 24 26, 2007, pp. 375 381. hidrostructurile aquifers can be addressed as [5] Murărescu O., The use of water resources from the physical systems, because they can be more easily Carpathian and Subcarpathian space between figure out the factors that makes entry and exit DâmboviŃa and Prahova Lucrările tiinŃifice ale components of the hydrological balance, depending Simpozionului InternaŃional Multidisciplinar on which you can describe and evaluate „Universitaria SIMPRO 2006”, Editura Universitas, quantitatively and quality of water resources. Petro ani (2006), pp. 33 36. Bucegi Mountains hydrostructure [6] Murărescu O., Al. Istrate, Mădălina ChiŃescu, individualizes three types: karst, with primary and The vulnerability of underground resources secondary intergranular porosity in craking, and from the Subcarparthians of IalomiŃa, Analele intergranular porosity in the granular deposits. UniversităŃii din Oradea, Seria Geografie, 2004, The sub Carpathian area are distinguished Tom XIV, pp. 226 230. more hydrostructures aquifers, quartered in internal [7] Murărescu O., G. Pehoiu, The relationship flysches with limited resources, the external between water resources and the demand at the flysches, all of modest means. level of the human settlements of the IalomiŃa Quantively, groundwater resources are valley, in the Moroieni Târgovi te Lucrările estimated at 280 million cubic meters per year. celui de al III la Congres al AO , „Apa un IalomiŃa River, into the plain, has an miracol (Water a miracle)”, Editura Europa average flow of 7.97 m3 / s (which it is to achieve a Nova, Bucure ti, 2006, pp. 206 214. volume of 241.45 million cubic meters of water per [8] Murărescu O., P. BreŃcan, Extreme hydrological phenomena in the hydrological basin of upper year). Predominant power in the upper nivo pluvial, th with maximum flow rates during April June and IalomiŃa, during 2000 2005, XXIV Conference of minimum in winter. In SubcarpaŃi, supply becomes the Danubian Countries on the hydrological liquid leakage peaks occur during field in June forecasting and hydroligical bases of water and minima in September October. management, Bled (Slovenia), 2008, Ed. Slovenian National Committee for the IHP UNESCO. References [9] Murărescu O., Resursele de apă din spaŃiul [1] Deng Hongbing, Zheng Bofu, Wu Gang, Liu carpatic i subcarpatic dintre DâmboviŃa i Guohua, Ma Kemimg, Zhao Jingzhu, Demand Prahova i valorificarea lor, Editura & Supply Analysis of China’s Water Resources Transversal, Târgovi te, 2004. and its Sustainable Utilization in the First Half of the 21st Century, Proc. of the 3rd IASME/WSEAS Int. Conf. on Energy, Environment, Ecosystems and Sustainable Development, Agios Nikolaos, Greece, July 24 26, 2007, pp. 346 351.
ISSN: 1790-5095 89 ISBN: 978-960-474-160-1