HYDROECOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ZUBRA RIVER WITHIN THE CITY LVIV

Abstract

Small rivers perform a series of ecological and social functions, shape the landscape structure, support biodiversity, and they are used for human economic activities. Field research of the Zubra River (a right tributary of the Dniester River) was conducted. The hydroecological condition of the Zubra River within the city of Lviv was assessed. According to the methodology of the EU Water Framework Directive, water quality in the river was analyzed for the years 2018-2022. Average water flow rates in the Zubra River range from 0.03 to 0.14 m³/s. It was found that water flow in the river depends not only on the amount of atmospheric precipitation but also on the volumes of wastewater discharged into the river from the residential area of Sykhiv. The main sources of pollution in the city are the LLC “Agricultural Produce Market “Shuvar”, economic-sewage discharges from the sewage network of the Sykhiv district, including the municipal enterprises “Zhytlovyk-S”, “Khutorivka”, and LLC “ZHEP Stimul-Sykhiv”, as well as stormwater runoff. The hydroecological condition of the river is unsatisfactory and is rated at 82 points. Significant exceedances of the concentration of ammonium nitrogen, nitrates, and nitrites are observed. The concentration of ammonium nitrogen was 7.73 mg/dm³ (Class V quality, very poor). Nitrate content was 9.92 mg/dm³ (Class IV quality, poor), and regarding nitrites, their content exceeded the limit and amounted to 3.57 mg/dm³ (Class V quality, very poor). The BOD5 concentration was 11.6 mg/dm³ (Class IV quality, poor). A comprehensive set of short- and long-term intensive measures is needed to halt the degradation of the river's ecosystem and floodplain and to improve the ecological situation. Proposals for optimizing the hydroecological condition of the river based on a revitalization project have been analyzed, and our own suggestions for improving water quality in the river have been proposed.