The Asi River’s Estimated Nutrient Load and Effects on the Eastern Mediterranean

Year 2018, Volume: 33 Issue: 2, 61 - 66, 17.04.2018

Ece Kılıç , Anıl Akpınar Nebil Yücel

https://doi.org/10.18864/ase201810

Abstract

Rivers are primary receiving environments
for agricultural runoff and for domestic and industrial discharges. Rivers
assimilate and treat incoming pollution load until self-purification capacity
is reached. The remaining pollution load and natural nutrients are carried to
and discharged into the sea causing variations in the receiving area’s nutrient
concentration. This study evaluated nutrient loads and effects of the Asi River
on the northeastern Mediterranean Sea. Monitoring data from 2006 to 2014 from
the State of Hydraulic Works of Turkey were analyzed with an
interpolation-based average-estimator model for nutrient load calculation. The
nutrient load’s impact on the receiving area was determined using satellite
images. Annual nitrite (NO2), nitrate (NO3), ammonium (NH4), and phosphate
(o-PO4) loads were found to be 234 102 tones/year, 2 402 066 tones/year, 1 123
714 tones/year, and 603 669 tones/year, respectively, with all nutrients
showing distinct seasonality. The Asi River’s load increases during winter and
reaches its maximum in spring. High stream flow due to increased precipitation
during spring months could explain this situation. Similar results were
obtained from satellite images. Chlorophyll-a concentrations in the receiving
area increase during winter due to high nutrient load. In other words, nutrient
load increases the receiving area’s primary productivity.

Keywords

İskenderun Bay, Eastern Mediterranean, Orontes River, Riverine input, chlorophyll

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