Water monitoring network
Assessment of environmental status and monitoring of Amvrakikos – Establishment of a real time water monitoring network
This action is divided in two distinct sub-actions.
Sub-action 1 concerns the organizing and implementation of an appropriate monitoring system for the evaluation of the status of the area. The system will be based on regular data collection (samplings, measurements, observations) from various sources (water, soil, habitats) aiming to create a new original database to support the Water Directive 2000/60 as well as the Habitats Directive 92/43 within the area of Amvrakikos. A most important step will be the determination of “reference conditions” for the various parameters being monitored. The proposed methodology includes biological rapid assessment and statistical processing aiming to the determination of the ecological status/ ecological quality as specified in the Water Directive. The protocol of work that will be developed will be tested in the rivers Louros and Arachthos as well as in Rodia marsh.
This system will also examine various parameters for the development of an indicator for conservation quality and will be organized in conjuction with the terms of ecological quality, integrity, naturalness (reference conditions) and typology (representativeness) promoted by the Water Directive 2000/60.
Sub-action 2 concerns the establishment and operation of areal time telemetric (by means of radio-transmition) system of automatic water monitoring stations, which will check the water quality in the Amvrakikos “River Basin” area and will be used for planning purposes, as well as for operational daily management. This system will enrich the existing system of 6 automatic stations (LIFE Programme) and it will extend it to areas not previously covered, namely, the Arachthos river and the Amvrakikos Gulf. The system will provide continuous and systematic control over the pollutant activities in the area, to the competent Departments of the Prefectures of Arta and Preveza.
For the purpose of the described project it is assumed that approximately 15 stations will be installed. As of per today it is assumed that five stations will be installed in the gulf and the lagoons, and ten stations in the two main rivers (including point source control).
Results:
Monitoring of biotic and abiotic parameters related to water management within the protected areas is a major obligation of EU member states. In the case of Amvrakikos wetlands, it is documented that freshwater resources available to the wetland have seriously been decreased, as a response to reclamation, irrigation and electricity production needs and this has resulted to changes in the functions of this ecosystem. It has also been observed that a decrease of incoming marine waters from the Ionian Sea has occurred. These changes have a series of short- medium and long term impacts on the protected species and habitats of the site, some of which have a high European and International value for nature conservation. This action will seek to establish the links between water management and monitoring needs of the protected area.
