Human interventions and related impacts in the Danube Delta Adrian Stanica, Gheorghe Oaie, Silviu Radan National Institute of Marine Geology and Geoecology – GEOECOMAR, Bucharest, Romania
Human interventions and related
impacts in the Danube Delta
Adrian Stanica, Gheorghe Oaie, Silviu
Radan
National Institute of Marine Geology and
Geoecology – GEOECOMAR,
Bucharest, Romania
Natural evolution of the Danube
Delta
The Danube
Delta evolution
Evolution of the Evolution of the
coastline during coastline during
the last 12,000 yearsthe last 12,000 years
((PaninPanin, 1997, 1998, , 1997, 1998,
1999)1999)
ArealAreal distribution distribution of the main types of the main types of deposits in the of deposits in the Danube DeltaDanube Delta1. 1. Marine littoral deposits: Marine littoral deposits:
a, type a, type ““aa”” -- ofof littoral drift littoral drift
from the from the Ukrainian riversUkrainian rivers; ;
b, type b, type ““bb””-- of of DanubianDanubian
origin; origin;
c, littoral diffusionc, littoral diffusion ((mixmixeded
““aa”” and and ““bb”” typestypes)); ;
2. 2. LacustrineLacustrine littoral deposits; littoral deposits;
3. Fluvial deposits: 3. Fluvial deposits:
a, meander belt deposits; a, meander belt deposits;
b, interdistributary depression b, interdistributary depression
deposits; deposits;
4. L4. Lœœssss--like deposits; like deposits;
L L -- longshore sediment drift; longshore sediment drift;
D D -- main sediment supplies.main sediment supplies.
The Danube
Delta evolution
Evolution of the Evolution of the
coastline during coastline during
the last 12,000 yearsthe last 12,000 years((PaninPanin, 1997, 1998, 1999), 1997, 1998, 1999)
1.1. Initial spit: 11.7 Initial spit: 11.7 –– 7.5 K yr. BP7.5 K yr. BP
2.2. St. George I Delta: 9.0 St. George I Delta: 9.0 –– 7.2 K 7.2 K yr. BPyr. BP
3.3. Sulina Delta: 7.2 Sulina Delta: 7.2 –– 2.0 K yr. 2.0 K yr. BPBP
4.4. Coastline position at ~ 100 yr. Coastline position at ~ 100 yr. ADAD
5.5. St. George II Delta and Kilia St. George II Delta and Kilia Delta: 2.8 K yr.BP Delta: 2.8 K yr.BP –– PresentPresent
6.6. Cosna Cosna –– Sinoie Delta: 3.5 Sinoie Delta: 3.5 –– 1.5 1.5 K yr. BPK yr. BP
Danube Delta
Lobes Volumes
LLoobbee nnaammee//ttiimmee
ooff ddeevveellooppmmeenntt TToottaall vvoolluummee ooff
ddeeppoossiittss ((mm33))
RRaattee ooff ddeeppoossiittiioonn
DDaannuubbiiaann sseeddiimm..
((mm33//yyrr))
SStt..GGeeoorrggee II//
22220000 yyrr.. 22,,110055,,334422,,992233 338833,,006633
SSuulliinnaa//
44550000 yyrr.. 99,,223366,,885577,,441133 11,,665533,,115500
SStt.. GGeeoorrggee IIII//
22880000 yyrr.. 55,,229944,,447755,,440011 11,,443366,,888844
KKiilliiaa// 22550000 yyrr.. 33,,998822,,773377,,448899 11,,559933,,009955
TToottaall,, wwiitthhoouutt
CCoossnnaa--SSiinnooiiee 2200,,661199,,441133,,222266
8-9 m/yr1 to 3~ 2800 - presentSt. George II Delta
8-10 m/yr1 to 192500 - presentKilia Delta
13500 – 1500Cosna - Sinoie Delta
2~ 2800 – 2000Sulina Delta - phase 4
5~ 4900Sulina Delta - phase 3
3~ 6000Sulina Delta - phase 2
17200Sulina Delta - phase 1
6-9 m/yr1 – 5~7200 - 2 000Sulina
3-5 m/yr1~9000 – 7200St.George I Delta
2-311,700 – 7200Blocked Delta
111,700 - 7200Initial Spit
ProgradRate
Number channels
Absolute dating years BPMain lobe name
Human interventions affecting the
Danube Delta
Iron Gate 1
Iron Gate 2
After 1970, following the building of Iron Gates I
dam (942.95 km from the Black Sea) and the
hydrotechnical works along the Danube tributaries,
the sediment discharge decreased by
approximately 10-20%.
In 1983, the second barrage, at Ostrovul Mare
(864 km), was built up and this new closing of the
Danube induced a really catastrophic decrease in
the sediment discharge: in all the stations the
measured sediment discharge dropped by 35-50
% compared to the mean value of pre-damming
sediment flux regime.
Decreasing of the River Danube Decreasing of the River Danube
sediment discharge after dammingsediment discharge after damming
Danube Sediment Discharge at Vadu Oii hydrographic station - Km.247 (1961-1996)
y = 54.285x - 105108
R2 = 0.1492
y = -25.563x + 51386
R2 = 0.2977
y = -28.831x + 57755
R2 = 0.4908
y = 0.0897x3 - 532.18x2 + 1E+06x - 7E+08
R2 = 0.7382
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Years
Sed
ime
nt
Dis
ch
arg
e R
s (
Kg
/s) Ir
on G
ate
s I
Iron G
ate
s II
From Panin, Jipa, 1997
Upstream half of the"Big M" meander 9.21898 - 1902IX
The "Ilgani" meander bend1.71897 - 1898VIII
The "Maliuc" meander bend5.51894 - 1897VII
Downstream half of the "Big M" meander 9.71890 - 1893VI
Miles 28 – 302.11886 - 1889V
Miles 32 – 332.01885 - 1886IV
The "Pãpãdia" meander bend0.91883 - 1884III
Ceatal St. George1.01880 - 1882II
The “Little M" meander bend, "Mila 23"0.61868 - 1869I
Channel locationLength of cut-
off channel (Km)
PeriodOrder of digging
channels
The Sulina distributary meander belts cutThe Sulina distributary meander belts cut--offs (EDC, 1868 offs (EDC, 1868 –– 1902)1902)
St.George cutSt.George cut--off off
channels (channels (DunavatDunavat
meander belt)meander belt)
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
1820 1840 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020
Years
Co
eff
icie
nt
of
rep
art
itio
n
Kilia
St. George
Sulina
Changes in the suspended load distribution among the main Changes in the suspended load distribution among the main
Danube Delta distributaries at the mouth zones for the Danube Delta distributaries at the mouth zones for the
18401840--2003 period2003 period
After Bondar, 2003
Embankment of the floodplain upstream the Danube
Delta
Jiu
Olt
Arges
Ialomita
Calmatui
Siret
<1960
1960-1965
1965-1970
>1970
Damming period
Iron Gate II
Iron Gate I
Catch sizes in the Romanian Danube Delta and
adjacent lakes
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
18000
19
48
19
50
19
52
19
54
19
56
19
58
19
60
19
61
19
64
19
66
19
68
19
70
19
72
19
74
ton
s Cyprinus Carpio
Total
Damming floodplain area of the
Danube river
0
100
200
300
400
500
1949 1952 1956 1960 1962 1966 1975
x1,000 ha
(Source: Min. of the Environment)
SULINA JETTIESSULINA JETTIES
Between the second half of the Between the second half of the
XIXXIX--thth Century (first plan for Century (first plan for
the Sulina Navigation Canal the Sulina Navigation Canal ––
Sir Charles Hartley) and mid Sir Charles Hartley) and mid
1900`s, the Sulina mouth was 1900`s, the Sulina mouth was
protected by 2 parallel jetties, protected by 2 parallel jetties,
which were extended in which were extended in
several steps, up to the several steps, up to the
presentpresent--day dimensions (8 day dimensions (8
kmskms. offshore) . offshore)
Sulina Jetties
Late XIXth CenturyNew lighthouse and jetties
Human interventions within the
Danube DeltaThese can be divided into:
• a) The so called “reed period” (1960-1970 ): changes in the natural circulation pattern by digging canals;,
• b) The “fish-period”: 1970 – 1980: changes in land uses : creation of large fish ponds;
• c) The “agriculture period” (1980 – 1990): transforming wetlands into agricultural polders (more than 35,000 ha).
• d) “Back to nature” – restoration policies (after 1990 – present time). Renaturation of polders, blocking of human – made canals)
Danube Delta changes
generated by humans
(only for Romanian Territory)
a = “pristine” phase (1880)
b = Reclaimed land for agriculture, fish
culture and forestry (1890 –1989) and
location of artificial canals
c = restoration activities since 1994
including re-opening of polders and
blocking of man-made canals(images and text from Buijse et al., 2002)
Damming and channel excavations
Danube
Legend
1903-1916
1952-1960> 1960
1941-19511930-1940
1880-1902
Excavation periodLegend
1960-1970
1971-1980
1981-1989
Building period
Danube
(Source:
Min. of the
Environment)
BY
POLLUTION
AND
HABITAT
ALTERATIONS
DREDGING CHANNELS
HABITAT
REDUCTIONS
BY
AND
BUILDING BARRAGES
AT KM 942 AND KM 863
FROM RIVER MOUTHS
DAMMING
UPSTREAM FLOODPLAIN
AND 22% OF THE DELTA
B l a c k S e a
A
TULCEA
Phosphorous: 45.000-60.000 t/year
Oil: 45.000-50.000 t/year
DANUBE
Pollution
LEGEND
Damming (22%)
New channels
(Source: Min. of the Environment)
Back to Nature (after 1989)
DANUBE DELTA
BIOSPHERE
RESERVE
Total surface: 580,000 ha
Strictly protected
areas: 50,600 ha
Buffer zones: 223,300 ha
Economic zones 306,100 ha
• ecological
restoration: 11,425 ha
• agriculture
polders 39,974 ha
• fish ponds: 39,567 ha
• forests: 6,442 ha
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS
• Convention on Wetlands of International
Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat
(Ramsar, 1971)
• Bern Convention on Protection of European Wild
Flora and Fauna and Natural Habitats (Bern,
1979)
• Convention on Protection of Migratory Species of
Wild Animals (Bonn, 1979)
• Convention on Biological Diversity (Rio de
Janeiro, 1992)
• Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea
Against Pollution (Bucharest 1992)
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS
• Convention on the protection the world natural and
cultural heritage.
• The UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme
• Convention concerning the international trade with
endangered flora and fauna species – CITES
(Washington, 1973)
• Agreement between Ministers of Ecology of
Romania, Ukraine and Moldova on Trans-
boundary Co-operation in the Protected Areas of
the Danube Delta and Lower Prut (Bucharest,
2000)
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS
• European Framework Directive 79/409/EEC/1979,
concerning the protection of birds
• European Framework Directive 92/43/EEC/1992,
conserning the protection of habitats The
UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme
• Convention concerning the international trade with
endangered flora and fauna species – CITES
(Washington, 1973)
� In 1994 Babina (2,100 ha),
- agricultural polder -
� in 1996 Cernovca(1,580 ha)
- agricultural polder -
� in 2000 Popina(3,600 ha)
- fishpond -
� in 2002 Fortuna (2,115 ha) -
- agricultural polder -
Prospective areas to be restored
� Holbina - Dunavat(5,630 ha)
- fishponds -
Implemented and ongoing Restoration
Works in the Danube Delta
TOTAL: 15,025 ha
The Danube Delta
Sector monitoring
stations
DANUBE
DELTA AREA
Local sources
of anthropic
activities
NAEP Report on the
state of the Environment
Danube Delta
Dispersal of trace metals in water:
Fe and Cr – increase in areas controlled by riverine
inputs
Mn, Zn, Pb – irregular distribution
Mn, Zn and Cu decrease from the fluvial delta plain to
the marine delta plain
Razelm – Sinoie Lagoon Complex:
As and Mn - lower concentrations than in the deltaic
lakes
Cr, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn - more abundant, can manifest
increasing trends from north to south
Variation of heavy metals concentrations along the
Danube Delta distributaries – Chilia, Sulina and St. George
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
M i l a
4 3 , 5 0 0
K m 1 1 5
b r a t
C h i l i a
k m 4 3
b r a t
C h i l i a
k m 2 0
b r a t
C h i l i a
k m 3
S t a mb .
V e c h i
M i l a 3 4 K m 1 0 7 . 7
b r a t S f .
G h e o r g h e
K m 1 . 3
b r a t Sf .
G h e o r g h e
M i l a 3 4 M i l a
3 3 , 4 0 0
S u l i n a
H m 7 2
S u l i n a
Variata continutului de Cu ( µg/g) pe bratele Dunãrii
0.000
0.100
0.200
0.300
0.400
0.500
0.600
0.700
0.800
M i l a
4 3 , 5 0 0
K m 1 1 5
b r a t
C h i l i a
k m 4 3
b r a t
C h i l i a
k m 2 0
b r a t
C h i l i a
k m 3
St a mb .
V e c h i
M i l a 3 4 K m 1 0 7 . 7
b r a t S f .
G h e o r g h e
K m 1 . 3
b r a t S f .
G h e o r g h e
M i l a 3 4 M i l a
3 3 , 4 0 0
Su l i n a
H m 7 2
Su l i n a
Variata continutului de Cd (µg/g) pe bratele Dunãrii
Cu contents in sediments in the Danube Delta arms
Cd contents in sediments in
the Danube Delta arms
Maps of sediment quality in Mesteru-Fortuna
and Matita-Merhei depressions (Cd and Cr)
Pollutant contents in bottom sediments of the
River Danube in front of the Black Sea basin
Sulina
Sf. Gheorghe
Musura
Black Sea
Km 3 – Stambulul Vechi section - Chilia branch
Cu (µg/g) 75.19; Zn (µg/g) 147.5; Cr (µg/g) 118;
Cd (µg/g) 1.67.
Hm 72 Sulina section
Cu (µg/g) 55.89; Pb (µg/g) 32.67; Zn
(µg/g) 117; Cr (µg/g) 92; Cd (µg/g) 0.751
Km 1.3 St. George section
Cd (µg/g) 0.321
Hm 72
Km 3
Km 1.3
Heavy metals and other trace elements -
Conclusions
-Lakes from River Danube influenced areas:generally high contents in almost all trace elements; suspect
situations for As, Cr, Ni, Mn - adsorbed on clay minerals and
Fe-oxides and hydroxides
- Confined lakes: lower contents; enrichment tendency in Ni, Cr, Mn, Pb - affinity for organic matter and/or atmospheric
inputs (Pb)
- Distribution patterns: gradual increase from north to south within Razim-Sinoie Lagoonal Complex (Ni, Cr, Zn, Cu,
Cd); influences of differential transport and sedimentation,
leaching of the tailing dumps of the flotation plant from Baia,
atmospheric inputs
Conclusion: not polluted sediments; slight local tendencies
Greenhouse
gas fluxes
distribution in
the Lake
Razelm
(nmol/m2s)CO2
CH4
N2O