Projects / Programmes
Evaluation of the potential impact of agriculture on the chemical and ecological state of water in Pomurje and proposals for cost-effective measures for its prevention
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 1.08.00 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Control and care of the environment |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B003 |
Biomedical sciences |
Ecology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 2.07 |
Engineering and Technology |
Environmental engineering
|
water pollution, sources of pollution, underground water, water body Murska kotlina, retarding basin
Researchers (12)
Organisations (2)
Abstract
Increased content of nutrients and pesticide residues in water bodies in the areas, where agriculture is much developed, is attributing to agriculture. Other potential sources of pollution are unintentionally overlooked. Other potential dispersed sources are loading by urban areas and loading, which arise from dispersed settlements with unsolved drainage and treatment of urban waste water and loading by traffic. Industry, refuse damps (illegal and legal waste dumps, sludge dumps, water retention fields and other technologies, and discharge of waste waters and sludge), and larger waste water treatment plants with insufficient tertiar treatment of waste waters, are important point sources of pollution. Agriculture activities load waters also with pesticides, which can be used also within other activities (e.g. for destroying of weeds along roads and railway tracks, urban plantings and sports facilities, etc.), remains of pesticides are often found at unpermissible refuse damps. The purpose of project is to gain evaluation of actual parts, which are contributed to the pollution of water bodies by different polluters and prepare proposition of cost effective measures for reduction of pollution of water bodies. For this purpose all potential sources of pollution with nutrients and pesticides will be identified. The evaluation of potential reduction of pollution in the case of consideration of regulations on the field of water protection against pollution by nitrate from agriculture production will be evaluated. Existent agriculture environmental measures at chosen location will be identified and their influence on quality of the water bodies will be evaluated. Evaluation of management with chosen retarding basins will be also made. Proposition of cost effective measures for reduction of negative influence of agriculture production and other sources of pollution on quality of the water bodies will be prepared, where emphasis will be on ecoremediation systems (ERM).
Significance for science
The content of the project did not include the obtaining of new scientific knowledge. However, the results will serve as a guideline to which scientific fields will be necessary to focus in the future to achieve the objectives of the project - the introduction of agricultural technologies, in which the intake of nutrients and pesticides in the environment will be reduced to such an extent that the water bodies in the studied environment will achieve good status.
Significance for the country
Identification and quantification of potential sources of pollution of underground water body Mura basin and three reservoirs Perniško, Gajševsko and Ledavsko jezero confirmed the hypothesis that the relative contribution of agriculture to the pollution of studied water bodies (with the exception Perniško Lake) with nutrients and residues of plant protection products in comparison with other contaminants was the largest. Detailed analysis showed which activities in agriculture contributed to increased burden on the environment with nutrients and pesticides in the studied areas. Nevertheless, these results were generalized reflection of the situation in the field, as in Slovenia there is a certain lack of some records, which has been already mentioned in the points 3, 4 and 5. Those records should be improved in the future The findings of the project can serve as general guidelines in the future at the management of space (agricultural land and water bodies) in the studied areas in terms of agriculture, fisheries, tourism, settlement and industry. Within the framework of the project, a set of cost-effective measures with the aim to reduce water pollution, were proposed. Implementation of those measures could contribute to improved quality status of studied water bodies, which must be achieve good chemical and ecological status till required deadline (2027). Improved status of the water bodies will contribute to the preservation / protection of natural and cultural heritage and raising the quality of life. Ecoremediation measures, which based on the functioning of natural ecosystems, have not yet been established in a large extent in Slovenia. Within the project, several aspects of the benefits of installing and use of ecoremediation facilities in the agricultural landscape were presented and also the suggestion of ERM placement within the studied areas with a warning of the need for certain adjustments in Slovene legislation.
Most important scientific results
Final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Final report,
complete report on dLib.si
