Chemical dynamics of the Sava riverine system

Abstract

Presented here is a study of the geochemical dynamics of the entire River Sava watershed, a major tributary of the River Danube which has not previously been investigated. The sampling was performed at 33 selected locations along the main channel of the stream and at its largest tributaries during three sampling seasons (fall 2005, spring 2006 and fall 2006), going from headwater locations to the mouth near the confluence with the Danube. Almost 80% of the solutes are derived from carbonate mineral weathering and represent over 50% of specific HCO₃⁻ flux normalized to unit basin area at the mouth of the Danube. Statistical analysis indicates that agricultural and industrial sources contribute significantly to increased Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻ and NO₃⁻ concentrations in tributary waters. Different processes control the water chemistry along the course of the Sava's drainage—the upper reaches are largely regulated by contributions from carbonate mineral weathering, the middle reaches are influenced by agricultural activity and biological processes related to eutrophication, while the lower reaches tend to have more pronounced parameters related to the industrial processing along with leakages from municipal sanitary systems of these higher population density areas.