Integrated monitoring of South Portugal water bodies: a methodology towards WFD

摘要

The challenge on implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) (2000/60/EC)nfosters the development of new monitoring approaches. The directive promotes the use ofnmodelling techniques to assist all phases of the process, from characterization and establishmentnof reference conditions to identification of pressures and assessment of impact. This work isnbased on the above principles. A classical monitoring of the water status of the main transitionalnwater bodies of Algarve (South of Portugal) is combined with advanced in situ water profiling andnhydrodynamic, water quality and ecological modelling to build a complete description of thensystem. The aim is to demonstrate a methodology where traditional monitoring and modellingntools can be joined together to draw a holistic picture. The results show that globally the waternbodies present a good trophic status. Eutrophication symptoms are not generalized. Due tonphysical transport and dispersion, nutrient enrichment is not the only factor limiting growth;nresidence time is also an important factor. Some confined regions with high residence times arenat present endangered by point and diffuse sources of pollution. The microbiologic impact ofnwaste water treatment plants (WWTP) is confined to regions between 500m and 1 km from thendischarges.