Where was water quality worst in the Morača River basin?

Details

Researchers analyzed water quality in the Morača River and its main tributaries, the Zeta and Cijevna, using Water Quality Index (WQI) methods. They used data from 12 hydrological stations from 2010 to 2018. The analysis covered ten physical, chemical and microbiological parameters: oxygen saturation, BOD5, ammonium ion, pH, total nitrogen oxides, orthophosphates, suspended solids, temperature, electrical conductivity and coliform bacteria. Calculations for all 12 stations used the Serbian Water Quality Index (SWQI).

The researchers described the overall situation as not discouraging: SWQI values ranged from 73 to 97, corresponding to good, very good and excellent water quality. The exceptions were two stations on the lower Morača, City Collector and Grbaci. Throughout the observation period, water quality was worst at City Collector, where SWQI ranged from 39 to 71. At the downstream station called Grbavci in the abstract, the 2015 annual average SWQI was 70, corresponding to poor quality.

The biggest pollution sources reported were municipal wastewater, followed by agricultural activities and illegal garbage disposal along the stream and in the river. The researchers concluded that the lower Morača was the most polluted part of the basin studied. They called this a serious problem because that stretch flows through some of Montenegro's most populated and agriculturally active areas: Podgorica, the Zeta Plain and Ljeskopolje. They recommended prompt measures, primarily introducing wastewater treatment technology and educating the population about river water conservation.