Journal of Conference Abstracts

Water Quality Monitoring in the Demänovka Watershed

J. Adamková (fax: +421 373 602), I. Knzeová (fax: +421 373 602)
& P. Roncák (roncak@shmuvax.shmu.sk)

Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute, Jeséniova 17, 833 15 Bratislava, The Slovak Republic.

The Demänovka watershed is located in the Low Tatra Mountains; part of the watershed lies within the protected area of the Low Tatras National Park. Significant sources of groundwater in the alluvial part of this watershed are used as drinking water supply. Furthermore, the Demänovka watershed, due to its various glacial and karstic systems (for example, underground caves with relict Niphragus tatransis [Crustacea]), has considerable natural heritage value for both present and future human generations. This natural heritage value is jeopardized by an increase in human activities, like recreation and tourism, and by long distance air pollution (NO_x, SO₂, heavy metals, etc.)

The Demänovka watershed has typical mountain character (801-2003 m altitude) and covers an area of 47.4 km². Mean annual precipitation ranges from 800 to 1400 mm yr^-1. The monitoring programme for the Demänovka watershed consists of : 1) precipitation measurements (wet deposition quantity and quality) at the Chopok EMEP station, and 2) surface and ground water quality measurements (O₂ and various physico-chemical determinants, selected heavy metals, and specific organic substances of anthropogenic origin).

Concentrations of nitrogen compounds in surface and groundwaters have increased, due to insufficient sewage systems from hotels and households. Occasionally, elevated concentrations of heavy metals have been measured (max. values: Cd, 7.0 µg L^-1; Hg, 0.4 µg L^-1; Zn, 71.0 µg L^-1). Coliform and enterococcal bacteria have been cultured from groundwater samples on several occasions.

Based on measurements from the monitoring programme, critical acid loads were calculated for surface waters and groundwaters (3.75 and 12.57 kg ha^-1 yr^-1, respectively), together with exceedence values (-2.79 and -11.60 kg ha^-1 yr^-1, respectively).

Results of the monitoring programme in the Demänovka watershed show that the human activities have had impacts on both surface and groundwater quality. Ongoing water quality deterioration will have increasingly negative effects on the natural heritage value of this area. Therefore, protective and remediation measures should be taken both on local and regional levels.

Stream Water and Soil Responses to Five Years of Nitrogen and Sulphur Additions at the Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia, U.S.A.

M. B. Adams (/s=b.adams/oul=r09f21d01@mhs-fswa.attmail.com),
T. R. Angradi (/s=t.angradi/oul=r09f21d01@mhs-fswa.attmail.com) &
J. N. Kochenderfer (/s=j.kochenderfer/oul=r09f21d01@mhs-fswa.attmail.com)

USDA Forest Service, Timber & Watershed Lab., P.O. Box 404, Parsons, West Virginia, U.S.A.

To examine the effects of elevated N and S inputs on a central hardwood forest, a whole-watershed acidification experiment was initiated in 1989 at the Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia. Annual experimental additions of 40 kg S ha^-1 yr^-1 and 35 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1 as ammonium sulphate fertiliser were applied to a 34 ha watershed with a 25 year old stand of central Appalachian hardwoods. An adjacent watershed served as the control. After 5 years of treatment (total additions of 275 kg S and 220 kg N), stream water NO₃^-, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺ concentrations and export increased. Soil solution concentrations provide evidence that the treatment watershed in N saturated, which was unexpected for such a young stand. No statistically significant changes in annual SO₄^2- export were observed, but peak stream water concentrations of SO₄^2- did increase during the treatment period. Changes in soil solution chemistry suggest that the treated watershed also may be approaching SO₄^2- saturation.