Monitoring and assessment of nutrient removal capacity of riverine wetlands (Yalpugh and Cahul river basins) Assessment of current situation and measures for wetland restoration Prepared by Dumitru Drumea

Rezultatele monitorizarii apelor freatice in anii 80 Apele freatice din terenurile agricole - < 20% Din zonele impadurite - circa 40% Zonele locative (sate) > 90% Aplicarea medie de ingrasaminte minerale – 69 kg/ha, organice 7 t/ha

- Case study area – 4300 km2 - Wetland area – 65 km2 or ha - Total population – people - Average river flow – 1m3/sec - Large irrigation in the middle of 70 th destroyed around 90% of wetlands in the basins - Strong overgrazing of wetland areas - Digging of the Yalpugh river bed on around 15% of its length - Actual financial constrains do not allow agricultural activities in the wetland area - Total nutrient loads in the basins could be estimated as 3-5 ktons of N and > 1ktons of P - According to the estimations around 25% of all nutrients reach water ecosystems (90% with the runoff)

Rural population is around 90% and only 5- 7% are connected to sewage system and drinking water supply There are around households in rural areas - animal breeding in rural area: cattle – 4100, pigs – 6500, sheep and goats – 40000, poultry – manure produced * cattle tons * pigs – 1000 tons * sheep and goats – tons * poultry – 3000 tons

Nitrogen and phosphorus loads originated from households Cattle: N – 0,15 ktons, P – 0,03 ktons Pigs: N – 0,07 ktons, P – 0,01 ktons Sheep and goats: N – 0,3 ktons, P – 0,05 ktons Poultry: N – 0,6 ktons, P - 1,2 ktons Total from animal breeding: N – 1,12 ktons, P – 1,3 ktons plus around 1,3 ktons of N and 0,5 ktons of P from septic tanks Total from rural settlements: N – 2,4 ktons and P – 1,8 ktons

Agricultural activity predominates on adjacent territories >80% of lands Total agricultural lands – 3450 km2 -Perennial crops – 2415 km2 -Orchards and vineyards – 1035 km2 Fertilizer use in kg/ha N P organic

Average erosion rate – 18 tons/ha for perennial crops and 12,5 tons/ha for orchards and vine yards Thus total erosion in the region – kt Loads with the background N – 1241 kt and P – 282 kt

WWTPs network is developed only in small towns and covers around 10% of all population in the region Main towns in the region: population connected to WWTPs Comrat – % Congaz – % Ceadir-lunga – % Taraclia – % Vulcanesti – % Total – average 25% Total load from WWTPs in the region is around: for N - 0,035 kt and P - 0,001kt

Main sources of nutrient pollution in the region in ktons per year Settlements agriculture WWTPs Total N 2, , P 1, ,

Nutrient stocks Volume of stored water – 207 mln m3 or practically all water flow Average concentration of N tot in water – 12 mg/l, P – 0,275 mg/l Nutrients stocked in waters: N – 2150 kt, P – 50 kt Actually siltation covers around 50% of water bodies volume. This means that there are around 7 mln tones of sediments in the reservoirs (0-30 cm). Average concentration for N – 5000 mg/kg and P – 800 mg/kg. Nutrients stocked in sediments (0-20 cm): N – 35 kt, P – 6 kt.

Estimation of nutrient budget in the region and stock of nutrients in wetland areas Nutrient loads reaching water ecosystems N – 311 kt, P - 70 kt Nutrients stocked in water ecosystems N – 2185 kt, P – 56 kt Nutrients stocked in wetland vegetation Reeds – N – 1500 kt, P – 81 kt Meadow vegetation with small grazing impact – N – 110 kt, P – 4 kt Overgrazing areas – N - 25 kt, P – 0,5 kt Total for vegetation: N – 1725 kt, P – 85,5 kt

Project management Consultation meetings with local authorities Showed high commitment and willingness for wetland restoration activity. On the base of discussions next areas could be proposed for restoration: -Yalpugh floodplain in the upper part of the river before Comrat town – around 400 ha -In the town of Comrat (planting of park) total area around 1000 ha and more -Stop digging of the river bed and thus restoration of around 25% of river valley

Main results of the consultation meetings There is a strong commitment for wetland restoration and extension of protected areas network from different level authorities and local population Ecological values of wetlands are poor known by main stakeholders Water management is bad Lands of local communities located in the wetland areas are practically not used in agricultural activities (mainly pasture) Development of trades associated with wetland restoration (tourism, fishery, forage, medicinal plants, etc) Organic farming on adjacent areas is an option for the development of the region Irrigated channels are poor maintained and are mainly covered by reeds Local plans for development of the water management and wetland areas in region are not prepared