A METHOD TO COLLECT FIELD DATA FOR HYDROMORPHOLOGICAL MONITORING OF RIVERS IN ROMANIA.

The monitoring of rivers’ hydromorphological characteristics represents a requirement of the EU Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) amended in 2014 (2014/101/EU), which introduces several standards regarding the monitoring of the quality elements of all surface water categories. Thereby, for the hydromorphological elements, the Standard 14614:2004 Water quality – Guidance standard for assessing the hydromorphological features of rivers became mandatory. In this view, a method for field data collection was developed considering the specifications of the mentioned Standard. The method, focused on surface water bodies – rivers, is based on both field surveys and desk work, the information being registered in two types of records (A and B). The hydromorphological monitoring is to be conducted on survey units (SU) of fixed length (500 m) and variable widths, with detailed observations and measurements in three sections: upstream and downstream (at SU’ boundaries) and a base section (approx. at the middle of the SU). The field measurements are supplemented by visual observations and estimation of some hydrological and morphological characteristics. At the same time, if on field measurements and samplings are not possible, the method permits the collection of data only from visual observations and estimations. Given the fact that the Methodology for hydromorphological assessement of Romanian rivers, which is included in the second Romanian River Basin Management Plan 2016-2021 (RBMP), considers the indicators for three main categories of hydromorphological elements: hydrological regime, river continuity and morphological conditions and that the proposed method for data collection follows the specifications of the same documents (WFD, RBMP etc.), we consider the method provides good support in desk resulted data validation and completion, for both, monitored rivers (through gauging stations) and unmonitored rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]