Assessment of Pressure Sources and Water Body Resilience: An Integrated Approach for Action Planning in a Polluted River Basin

Domenica Mirauda and Marco Ostoich
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Domenica Mirauda: School of Engineering, Basilicata University, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Marco Ostoich: Veneto Regional Environmental Prevention and Protection Agency (ARPAV), Provincial Department of Venice, Via Lissa 6, 30172 Venice-Mestre, Italy

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 2, 1-19

Abstract: The present study develops an integrated methodology combining the results of the water-quality classification, according to the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC—WFD, with those of a mathematical integrity model. It is able to analyse the potential anthropogenic impacts on the receiving water body and to help municipal decision-makers when selecting short/medium/long-term strategic mitigation actions to be performed in a territory. Among the most important causes of water-quality degradation in a river, the focus is placed on pollutants from urban wastewater. In particular, the proposed approach evaluates the efficiency and the accurate localisation of treatment plants in a basin, as well as the capacity of its river to bear the residual pollution loads after the treatment phase. The methodology is applied to a sample catchment area, located in northern Italy, where water quality is strongly affected by high population density and by the presence of agricultural and industrial activities. Nearly 10 years of water-quality data collected through official monitoring are considered for the implementation of the system. The sample basin shows different real and potential pollution conditions, according to the resilience of the river and surroundings, together with the point and diffuse pressure sources acting on the receiving body.

Keywords: water quality; integrity model; pollution load; resilience; decision-support system; river basin; ecological macro-descriptors; pressure sources; Water Framework Directive; wastewater-treatment plant (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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