ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE QUALITY OF THE SURFACE WATER BODIES OF THE UPPER PRIPYAT RIVER BASIN

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze the quality of the surface water bodies of the upper reaches of the Pripyat River using hydrochemical parameters and to determine the ecological quality index (ІЕ). Research methodology: The current ecological state of surface water massifs is presented in accordance with the “Methodology for Environmental Assessment of Surface Water Quality by Relevant Categories,” which is based on the values of block indices: the block of water salinity (I1), the tropho-saprobiological block (I2), and the block of specific toxic substances (I3). The scientific novelty of this study lies in the fact that the calculated average values of the integrated environmental water quality index (ІЕ) for the period 2021–2023 for all observation points in the upper Pripyat River were 2.6. The classification was based on the observation that the waters exhibited characteristics consistent with Category 3 of the second water quality class, which is defined as “good” in terms of condition and “fairly clean” in terms of pollution. In terms of spatial analysis, the highest mean values of the integrated ecological index (ІЕ) were observed on the tributaries of the Prypiat River. These observations were made on the Turia River, situated 9 km downstream of the city of Kovel in 2021. The lowest mean value of the integrated ecological index (ІЕ) was observed on the Turia River in Kovel in 2022. Conclusions: the water quality of the upper Prypiat River at all monitoring sites was stable during the period from 2021 to 2023. This corresponded to categories 2 and 3, of the water quality class II. It is also notable that from 2021 to 2023, there was a discernible tendency towards improvement in water quality, with a transition from category 3 to category 2 of the water quality class II.