With the completion of 6 months of operation of the network of automatic water monitoring stations of the Epirus-waters project, implemented by the Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters (I.THA.VIPEY.) and financed by the Green Fund, the scientific team proceeded with a first evaluation of their information and services for each of the rivers Kalama, Louros and Arachtos.
For the last six months, the quality of the water in all three rivers of Epirus (Kalamas, Louros and Arachthos) has been found to be good to high, with isolated exceptions on some days when a transient quality degradation was recorded, possibly due to anthropogenic pressures, which need further investigation .
In summary, according to the evaluation of the operation of the automatic water monitoring stations, the following was found for each river of Epirus:
Kalamas river
3 monitoring stations have been installed and are operating in Kalama. The ‘Vrontismene’ station is located in the mountains upstream of the watershed, near the village of the same name. The station has been fully operational since its installation until today.
The measurements (Figure 1) showed small increases in the water level that did not exceed 1 m depth, while the water quality status based on dissolved oxygen and CCME indicators1 it was from good to high throughout the semester.
Moving downstream, we come across the ‘Vrysoula’ station where fairly high water level values were observed that reached 2 m water depth in November 2023 and January 2024. Regarding the water quality based on the 2 indicators of the automatic stations, they were recorded values that indicate good and high quality status throughout the semester (Figure 2).
Finally, the ‘Kalamas_1’ station located near the settlement of Brussella operated from November 2023 until January 2024 due to damage suffered by an extreme rise in the water level, of the order of 7 meters deep, at the site of the station. Its operation will be restored within the month of April, when it will be possible for the ELKETHE project team to approach the site.
Louros river
3 other monitoring stations have been installed in Louros. The first starting from the uplands of the catchment area is the ‘Mesoura’ station, which operated satisfactorily until January 2024, then suffered a breakdown that was repaired in February 2024 and has been operating continuously since then.
The water level at the specific location did not rise significantly in the last six months (remained at levels less than 1 m deep) while values of dissolved oxygen and CCME indicators were observed indicating water quality degradation until January 2024 (Figure 3). The state of water quality after the restoration of operation of the station (February 2024) is recorded as good and high.
The intermediate station ‘Kerasonas’, located near the settlement of the same name, records exclusively the water level and indicated 2 rain events that increased the level to about 1.5 m depth in November 2023 and January 2024 but without these values to be considered dangerous for flood events in the specific area (Figure 4).
The last station ‘Louros 1’, located near the mouth of the river, was fully operational from the day of its installation until today and indicated very small fluctuations of the water level in this particular period. Water quality degradation was also observed based on the station’s quality indicators during the period November 2023-January 2024 (Figure 5), which is in agreement with the corresponding observations at the ‘Mesoura’ station.
Arachtos river
In Arachthos there are 4 monitoring stations with the first one taking its name from the Balduma Bridge on which it is installed, in the upstream-mountain sections of the river. This station was fully operational during the last semester with the exception of the period October 20 – November 16, 2023, which was stopped due to a breakdown. Also, a problem observed in the operation of the dissolved oxygen sensor was fixed in February 2024.
The station indicated 2 high-rise events at depths of more than 2 m, but without any risk of flooding, while the water quality fluctuated at relatively good levels during the time all the station’s sensors were operational, with the exception of a few values which showed transient quality degradation in November 2023 and February 2024 (Figure 6).
The next station downstream is the one at Tzaris Bridge, which operated satisfactorily throughout the semester with the exception of the dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity sensors that stopped recording values from December 2023, probably due to being covered by transported materials (sand , gravels, etc.) of the river (Figure 7). This damage will be repaired within April 2024, as long as the water level allows the project team to approach the site.
In the same period, 2 rain events were recorded that gave rise in water level and depths greater than 2 m (in November 2023 and January 2024).
The third station, located downstream of the Pournario dam and upstream of the city of Arta, has been operating continuously for the last six months, recording the river level, which has experienced significant fluctuations, on an almost daily basis, due to the operation of the dam.
The last station of Arachthos is located in the settlement of Neohori near the mouth of the river and is affected by the Amvrakikos lagoon as well as by the Pournario dam. This station was fully operational throughout the semester and showed many fluctuations in the level due to the operation of the dam but relatively small in depth (less than 2m) which does not indicate a risk of flooding.
In terms of water quality, it fluctuated at satisfactory levels during most of the semester with the exception of October 2023 and some isolated days in January, February and April 2024, where there was a limited amount of fresh water in this part of the river (Figure 8).
Finally, in February 2024, a new station was installed at the Lock of the Voidomatis river, while within the month of April, the ELKETHE project team will go to the area to restore the existing damage to the automatic stations as well as to install new stations in the rivers Kalamas and Bear.
More information about the automatic stations and their measurements can be found here: https://epirus-waters.hcmr.gr/diktyo-stathmon/ while to contact the project team: https://epirus-waters.hcmr.gr /contact/, tel. 2291076389, Department of Internal Waters – ITHAVIPEY, Anavyssos Attica.
