Water Quality in Slovenia - Agencija RS za okolje
Water Quality in Slovenia - Agencija RS za okolje
Water Quality in Slovenia - Agencija RS za okolje
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
18<br />
W A T E R Q U A L I T Y I N S L O V E N I A<br />
Sava, Medno Ljubljanica, Ljubljana<br />
In the Drav<strong>in</strong>ja and the Pesnica, a bad chemical status was determ<strong>in</strong>ed because of an exceed<strong>in</strong>g<br />
amount of metolachlor. Metolachlor is a herbicide used for weed control <strong>in</strong> agriculture, at the roadside<br />
and <strong>in</strong> ornamental plant grow<strong>in</strong>g. It is frequently used after the sow<strong>in</strong>g or germ<strong>in</strong>ation of corn. The<br />
share of agricultural areas <strong>in</strong> the h<strong>in</strong>terlands of the Drav<strong>in</strong>ja and the Pesnica is substantial (more<br />
than 50%), so it can be concluded that their bad chemical status is caused by the use of herbicides <strong>in</strong><br />
agricultural areas. There are also herbicide problems present <strong>in</strong> the Krka, where a bad chemical status<br />
was determ<strong>in</strong>ed on account of exceed<strong>in</strong>g amounts of atraz<strong>in</strong>e. Atraz<strong>in</strong>e is a triaz<strong>in</strong>e non-selective<br />
organic herbicide used <strong>in</strong> the past for the control of most broadleaf weeds and grasses <strong>in</strong> agriculture,<br />
afforestation and other non-agricultural activities. The presence of atraz<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong> water shows an illegal<br />
use of the mentioned herbicide as there have not been any registered herbicides conta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g atraz<strong>in</strong>e<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>Slovenia</strong> s<strong>in</strong>ce 2003.<br />
The Koren is a short river flow<strong>in</strong>g to Italy and is therefore a border river. It is classified as one of the<br />
most polluted rivers <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> the national water quality monitor<strong>in</strong>g. It is heavily polluted by the<br />
municipal wastewaters of Nova Gorica. In the Koren, the measured values of chemical and biochemical<br />
oxygen demand, orthophosphates, ammonium and nitrites are the highest <strong>in</strong> <strong>Slovenia</strong>. In 2006, a<br />
bad chemical status was determ<strong>in</strong>ed on account of exceed<strong>in</strong>g the limit values for detergents and<br />
m<strong>in</strong>eral oils.<br />
The bad chemical status of the Voglajna <strong>in</strong> Celje was determ<strong>in</strong>ed on account of exceed<strong>in</strong>g amounts of<br />
z<strong>in</strong>c, although, accord<strong>in</strong>g to the data from 2006, the emissions of z<strong>in</strong>c have been reduced. An excessive<br />
z<strong>in</strong>c pollution is the result of the discharge of the <strong>in</strong>dustrial wastewaters from C<strong>in</strong>karna Celje.<br />
The chemical status of rivers was improv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the years 2002 to 2006. In 2002, 23.2% of monitor<strong>in</strong>g<br />
sites were classified to have a bad chemical status, and <strong>in</strong> 2006, 15.8% of monitor<strong>in</strong>g sites had bad<br />
chemical status (Chart 3).<br />
Chart 3: Percentage of monitor<strong>in</strong>g sites <strong>in</strong> good and bad chemical status <strong>in</strong> the years 2002 to 2006<br />
����<br />
����<br />
����<br />
����<br />
����<br />
���� ����<br />
����<br />
����<br />
����<br />
����<br />
��� ���� ���� ���� ���� �����<br />
����<br />
����<br />
����<br />
����<br />
��������������������<br />
�������������������