TEMPORAL VARIABILITY OF WATER RESOURCES IN THE LOWER BUZĂU CATCHMENT

• Main Author: MITOF I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cluj University Press 2015-03-01
• Series: Aerul şi Apa: Componente ale Mediului
• Subjects: water resources; Lower Buzău catchment; temporal variability; economic use
• Online Access: http://aerapa.conference.ubbcluj.ro/2015/PDF/53_MITOF_405_412.pdf

The aim of this study is to analyse the water resources in the Lower Buzău catchment, in terms of temporal variability and of economic use of these natural assets. In the plain area of Buzău catchment, the water resources are represented mainly by the Buzău River, by the fluvial limans on the left riverside (Coșteiu, Jirlău, Amara, Balta Albă), and also by the phreatic aquifers. This study is based mainly on hydrological data regarding average streamflow of Buzău River (at Banița and Racovița gauging stations) and mean levels of the lakes Jirlău and Balta Albă. Groundwater data cover phreatic level depth measured at six monitoring wells located in the Buzău River floodplain area. In the first stage, the temporal trends of the Buzău River streamflow rate (1960-2009) and of the piezometric level depth (1980-2004), were analysed using Mann-Kendall statistical test. The second phase consisted in the analysis of the statistical correlations between hydrological and groundwater parameters, by applying Bravais-Pearson test. At multiannual scale, the quantitative reduction of water resources is observed both in the case of surface waters (decreasing trends of Buzău River discharges) and of groundwater levels, with negative implications on the water resources future availability and on their long-term using potential.