Joint Danube Survey 1

The Joint Danube Survey 2001 was carried out by the ICPDR and is the most homogenous analysis of the water quality and the ecological status of the Danube River. Over 140 chemical and biological parameters were analysed and over 40.000 laboratory results were generated.

The ICPDR initiated the JDS 2001 to improve the validity and comparability of water quality data received from its regular monitoring programme (Trans-National Monitoring Network).

Organic pollution varied between "moderately" and "critically polluted". Many side arms and tributaries were more polluted than the main stream.
In certain stretches no macro-invertebrates were found at all – a clear indication of an even higher organic or toxic pollution.

Eutrophication: Particularly high concentrations of algal biomass were found in the Hungarian stretch downstream of Budapest, which indicates elevated nutrient concentrations.

Microbiological (bacterial) pollution is showing anthropogenic impacts possibly caused by insufficiently treated sewage (faecal pollution) and by impacts from farm land and pasture (manure). Faecal bacteria indicate also the potential presence of pathogenic bacteria, viruses and parasites endangering human health.

Specific heavy metal pollution hot-spots were detected (the Rusenski Lom, the Iskar and the Timok tributaries, Bulgaria).

Pollution from navigation, mainly oil was observed; the highest values of petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments and suspended solids were found in the Middle Danube reach.

From 23 pesticides under investigation only Atrazine and Desethylatrazine could be found along the Danube.

Significant concentrations of harmful chemical pollutants featuring on the EU Water Framework Directive List of Priority Pollutants, were found in bottom sediments as well as in suspended solids.

Results

The results of the JDS have been taken as the basis for future activities of the ICPDR, specially focusing on:

• measures to decrease nutrient input from agriculture
• building of wastewater treament plants with nitrogen and phosphorus removal
• introduction of of phosphate-free detergents
• measures to decrease heavy metal pollution from the mining and metallurgy areas
• intensification of the cooperation with the Danube Navigation Commission on reducing oil pollution from shipping
• establishment of sediment quality targets
• improvement of the Danube Trans-National Monitoring Network (TNMN)

Downloads

• JDS Summary Report 2002 (2.27 MB)
  Institutional Background, Preparing the Joint Danube Survey, Findings of the Survey, Ecological Status of the Danube and its Major Tributaries, Chemical Status of the Danube and its Major Tributaries, Conclusions and Lessons learned
• JDS Summary Report 2002 - German (1.91 MB)
  Gesetzlicher Rahmen, Vorbereitung der Donau-Untersuchung, Untersuchungsergebnisse, Der oeِkologische Zustand der Donau und ihrer Nebenflüsse, Der chemische Zustand der Donau und ihrer Nebenflüsse, Schlussfolgerungen
• JDS Technical Report (Cover) (498.2 KB)
  JOINT DANUBE SURVEYTechnical Report of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River September 2002
• Foreword (127.13 KB)
• TABLE OF CONTENTS (107.21 KB)
• 1 INTRODUCTION, 2 PREPARATION FOR THE SURVEY (184.14 KB)
  1.1 The Danube River Protection Convention - Its Role in the Protection of the Danube River 1.2 Assessment of Water Quality in the Danube River Basin - the Need for and the Aims of the Joint Danube Survey 2.1 Survey Plan 2.2 Preparatory Phase/Cruise Manual 2.3 JDS Core Team 2.4 JDS National Teams 2.5 Workshops and Logistics 2.6 The Ships 2.7 Financial Arrangements 2.8 Public Awareness 2.9 The Survey
• 3 NINE GEO-MORPHOLOGICAL DANUBE REACHES (1.84 MB)
• 4 ECOLOGICAL STATUS CHARACTERISATION - 4.2 MACROZOOBENTHOS (3.48 MB)
  4.1 INTRODUCTION 4.2 MACROZOOBENTHOS
• 4.3 PHYTOBENTHOS (1006.5 KB)
  4.3 PHYTOBENTHOS
• 4.4 MACROPHYTES (3.85 MB)
• 4.5 PHYTOPLANKTON - 4.6 ZOOPLANKTON (1.66 MB)
• 4.7 MICROBIOLOGY (3.52 MB)
• 5 CHEMICAL STATUS CHARACTERIZATION (2.24 MB)
  5.1 METHODS 5.2 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
• 5.2.1 General Characteristics - 5.2.3 Heavy Metals (5.83 MB)
  5.2.1 General Characteristics 5.2.2 Nutrients 5.2.3 Heavy Metals
• 5.2.4.2.2 Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Suspended Solids - 5.2.4.2.4 Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) (2.38 MB)
  JDS Technical Report
• 5.2.4.2.5 Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Mussels - 5.2.4.6 Other WFD Priority Pollutants (2.59 MB)
  5.2.4.2.5 Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Mussels - 5.2.4.6 Other WFD Priority Pollutants
• 5.2.4.7 Pharmaceuticals, 5.2.4.8 GC/MS Screening of Organic Pollutants (1.03 MB)
• 6 FINDINGS,CONCLUSIONS, 7 RECOMMENDATIONS, CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE FUTURE (155.34 KB)

Related

• » Joint Danube Survey Video
  Joint Danube Survey, 12 August - 20 September 2001, © 2002 ICPDR, Length: 19 min. 51 sec.
• » TNMN - TransNational Monitoring Network
  The TransNational Monitoring Network is an important tool under the Danube River Protection Convention (DRPC), whose Contracting Parties are committed to co-operate in the field of monitoring and assessment. Formally launched in 1996, the TNMN aims to provide a well-balanced overall view of pollution and long-term trends in water quality and pollution loads in the major rivers in the Danube River Basin.

Links

• Water Quality Database
  Water Quality Data from Danube Surveys