Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity at Lakes

Prespa, Ohrid and Shkodra/Skadar

Initial characterization of Crin Drim River Basin

in Macedonia (first approach)
according to the WFD common implementation strategy (cis),

Dipl.-Ing. Holger Densky

Ohrid, 28th May 2012

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Part B

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 Good status of surface water
good What are the criteria ?
good
ecological status
chemical status
Development of evaluation procedures for
Chemical quality norms on EC-level
biological quality components on national level

excellent
good
good
fish Benthic gut
invertebrates

Action
moderate

poor bad
Aquatic plants Macroalgae
Nicht gut
Additional: bad
- hydromorphological components
- physical-chemical parameter

Training session for the Department of Waters, 19th February 2009, GTZ Office17.04.24
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Sampling campaign in 2010 - Evaluation for Lake Prespa

Biological Elements
Composition, abundance and biomass of phytoplankton 

Composition and abundance of other aquatic flora 

Composition and abundance of benthic invertebrate fauna 

 Natural and anthropogenic factors, changes of morphometric features of
the Lake Big Prespa basin deteriorate the composition and abundance.
 Decreasing of the water mass of the lake,have impact to the living
communities, that inhabit its bottom - benthal and those inhabit free
water column-pelagial as well.
Composition, abundance and age structure of fish fauna 
 Overfishing and decreaseing of the water masses have negative
impacts

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Hydromorphological elements supporting the biological
elements

Hydrological regime
quantity and dynamics of water flow 

 Decreased Lake Big Prespa surface level excluded and eliminated the
irreplaceable buffer zone (wetland) in the northern part of the lake.

residence time 

connection to the groundwater body 

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Morphological conditions

lake depth variation 

quantity, structure and substrate of the lake bed 

 Low dissolved oxygen concentrations in the hypolimnon and anaerobic
digested sludge

structure of the lake shore 

 Decreased Lake Big Prespa surface level excluded and eliminated the
irreplaceable buffer zone (wetland) in the northern part of the lake. It is
not clear if the current water level in 2010 is a sign for a trend reversal

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Chemical and physiochemical elements supporting the
biological elements
General

transparency 

Trend line around 3 m

thermal conditions 

 Increasing temperature

oxygenation conditions 

 During stagnant period, usually before cool period starts there was oxygen
depletion registered in the lower hypolimnion

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Salinity 

 Increased evaporation led to ionic concentrations here expressed by slight

increase of temperature, conductivity and ammonia ions concentration

acidification status 

 Trendline shows acidification

nutrient conditions 

 Phosphorus concentrations are on a critical level (10-70 mg/l), especially in the

hypolomnion high concentrations (90 mg/l)

Nitrogen concentrations also on high level

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Specific pollutants

pollution by priority substances identified as being discharged into the

body of water

heavy metals from former industrial use along the tributaries

pesticides from agriculture use

pollution by other substances identified as being discharged in

significant quantities into the body of water

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Resumee
According to the requirements of the WFD considering the
available data Lake Prespa ecological status could be clasisified
as moderate.

The tendency of several parameters and indicators is obviously to

a bad status if measures for reducing the nutrient load are not be
enforced in the catchment area of Lake Prespa which includes
especially the water bodies of the rivers Golema, Istocha, Kranska
and Brajcinska.

The water body Lake Prespa is at risk to fail the environmental

objectives of the WFD.

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Prespa Lake

 Sampling campaign in 2010

 Further delineating and differentiation of water body is necessary

 Coordination of next sampling campaign with Albania is necessary

Thanks for your attention

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