The Iskar River

The Iskar River

Waterways in Europe: Opportunity or danger?

Features The Iskar River- 365 km long. The only river in Bulgaria that runs from the south to the north. Flows into the

Danube river. Takes source from Rila mountain, crosses the Balkan mountain creating the

beautiful Iskar gorge. Fills the biggest dam in Bulgaria- the Iskar Reservoir and Pancharevo lake.

The Iskar Reservoir provides 80% of the water of Sofia.

Features The Iskar gorge is a beautiful virgin place where the wild river cuts through

the mountain and forms a narrow gap with queer rocky formations. The road and railroad follow the course of the Iskar River through a winding, scenic canyon.

Along the way you can see wonderful views as Katina pyramids, Lakatnishki rocks (named so because the Iskar makes an elbow shaped bent ) and other karst formations, caves and waterfalls.

Plants

Plants: pine, spruce, beech-tree, oak, willow, poplar and other broad-leaved trees.

Animals:

wild duck heron

Animals:

tortoise white stork

Animals:

cormorant

swan

Fish

Chub

Beluga

Fish

TroutCatfish

HistoryIn the past the Iskar was a passage to get through the Balkan mountain 9-10th century- fortresses were built on the steep riverbanks Remains of Roman town and road where it flows into the Danube Many monasteries hidden in the mountain around the river Copper, gold mines Fishing Drinking water

NowadaysThe water of the river is used for: water supply- domestic and industrial; producing electricity-hydropower plants; irrigation; fishing, tourism.

Hydroelectric power plant:A complex of 9 modern minihydroelectric plants is being constructed on the river Iskar.

Hydropower plant uses the natural flow of water and converts it into electricity without any toxic emissions or harmful effects on the environment. When the 9 MWPS start working it will decrease the emissions of carbon dioxide with 74196 t per year.

Hydroelectric power plant:Representatives of some eco organizations including WWF consider that small hydroelectric plants aren’t very effective. They produce little electricity but harm the water ecosystem, change the river bed and decrease biodiversity. The opponents notice that the number of floods increase when there is a dam at such mountain river areas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeGDjcdETRo



ProblemsWater Quality Problems-The water quality of Iskar was impacted by different causes: Untreated domestic wastewater- untreated sewage and wastewater from some

villages is discharged directly into the river Chemical fertilisers in agriculture Industrial wastewater from the Kremikovsti metallurgical plant, from mine and

processing of copper, from a plastic recycling factory Hydropower plants – harm biodiversity, fish migration, change ecosystem- the river

bed, plants around the river, birds During times of heavy rains and floods water with lots of toxic and oxygen

consuming sediments leaks into the river. This happens at hydropower plants designed with settling tanks in which sediment is deposited or because the treatment plant of Sofia is overloaded.

Solutions: Treatment plants for domestic water of all villages along the river Treatment plants for industrial wastewater Strict control at fertilizers in agriculture Cleaning the river bed to avoid floods An initiative to restock fish species in the river, where this is considered

appropriate.

Solutions:Design and construction of MWPS Slide gates that stop sediment from building up behind the weir; A fish bypass to allow fish passage to pass freely and to migrate along the river Small dams (6.5m to 11.1m) posing low risks to local communities and the

environment Regular opening of the gates to remove sediments during periods of high river

flow Constant control of the dam walls, monitoring of the river flow so that floods be

avoided Rules and control about building site, design and operating hydropower plants

Benefits

Fishing tourism, canoeing, team building trips, rock climbing, exploring rock formations and caves, mountaineering

END

Waterways in Europe: Opportunity or danger?

The Iskar River

Documents

Transcript of The Iskar River