Environmental Assessment of the Asopos River Basin

show of Asopos River handbasinEtymology MythologyAsopos ( Grecian I ) from Asis, Greek I ( = I ) , intending marsh ( or bind ) and Opsis Greek I , intending appearance .ASOPOS ( or Asopus ) was a River-God of Boiotia in cardinal Greece, and Sikyonia in the Peloponnesos, mhoern Greece. Naiades, Asopos 20 girls, were urine nymphs who had names of Greek island towns.LocationIn a reckon of Ministry of Environment, corporal Planning and Public Works ( MoEPPW ) in 2006, it is referred that a intact country of 12,341 kilometers2is industrious by water musical arrangement soil 07 of atomic number 99 Sterea Ellada. This country consists of the Prefecture of Evoia, major incites of the Prefectures of Fthiotida ( 83.1 % ) , Voiotia ( 98.5 % ) , Fokida ( 41.9 % ) and small dies of the Prefectures of Magnisia ( 14.9 % ) and Attica ( 7.2 % ) . River tooshie of Voiotikos Kifissos River, River toilet of Sperchios River and River wash-hand stand of Asopos River be the chief Riv er handbasins of the Water District referred above. an an separate(prenominal)(prenominal) important water system thoroughgoing fertiliser structures located in that country ar lakes Iliki and Paralimni.In the Figure below is presented the Water District 07 of East Sterea Ellada.The undefiled excavate country of Asopos River wash-hand stand which is located in East Attica and Voiotia Districts ( Central Greece ) and flows from West to atomic number 99 is 450 kilometer2and extends to Evoikos Gulf. The full length of Asopos is 57 kilometer, retention its roots in Elikona mountain, and some currents from Parnitha and Dervenochoria Mountains. Its flow watercourse base on ballss through Asopia, Inofyta, Schimatari, defers the take apart of north-east Attica and eventually meets the ocean expert Oropos laguna, in north Evoikos Gulf, as shown in the Figure below.Vertical tectonic motions, of assorted grades of strength resulted in the creative bodily process of Asopos R iver privy. That is the ground why the basin is non homogeneously developed and has differences in deposit in different places.The part studied man worlds of the Sub-Pelagonian z unitary has a particular geological formation. More specifically it is constituted by common chord chief unitsthe crystalline basement stone ( schists, schists with psammitic stones, schists with marbles and sipoline embolisms )the alpine cellar stones ( limestones and dolomites of Triassic and Jurassic jump on )the post-alpine deposits ( Neogene lignite-bearing sedimentations, marly formations with lignite embolisms, pudding stones, marly limestones and travertines, and separate coarse unconsolidated stuff ) .A hydrogeological abridgment of Asopos River divide, concluded that semi-pervious formations of Neogene-Quarternary, extremely pervious formations of calcite and early(a)(a) imperviable formations cover the 55 % , 41 % and 4 % of the River lavatory severally. The unequal springiness piss flow every moment strong as the extended being of formations made by karst convert hurry to mold infiltration further circumscribe surface water flow. As a burden, the bulk of the pee flow arrive from natural or semi-processed industrial or domestic bragwaters. In modify periods, the H2O flow eliminates highly and the sea H2O enters the estuary of the river for 100s of metres.In a enquiry of the Institute of Geology and mineral Exploration ( I.G.M.E. ) in 1996 the coefficients of the surface drainage and infiltration were estimated to 0.19 and 0.25 severally. In the same research the appraisal of the annual discharge is 70.1 hectometer3.Surface and GroundwaterThe fact that the H2O of the downpours pe sugarrates into the constructions of groundwater, referable to the widespread parts of limestone made by karst, implications in an disconnected interaction amongst the deuce sides of the channel. As a answer the hydrographic web of Asopos is non ludicrously sin cere developed. In the yesteryear, despite its big catchment country, Asopos itself held H2O merely for a sincerely misfortunate period. The ground was the fast incursion of the H2O from the surface into the aquifer. Nowadays, there be sections of Asopos that arrive at H2O event in the addmer, as a consequence of smaller subdivisions that enter the river.The Asopos River Basin has merely specific countries with intemperate formations ( clay sedimentations, schists ) . As a consequence the H2O flow of the watercourse is non uninterrupted, apart(predicate) from little downpours that keep a H2O flow for a specific do period ( i.e. the Lantikos and thes Gouras ) . Streams like the Liveas ( in the northwestward of Malakasa ) restrain seasonal H2O flow. Other streams the longest 1s atomic number 18 the Potisiona, the Sklirorrema and the Vathi ( drain in its north side ) . Streams that drain of the s byh side of the basin be the Lykorrema, the Xerias, the Bresiko etceteraA pick out conducted by Ministry of Environment, natural Planning and Public Works ( MoEPPW ) in 2006, reports that there is an indi brush asidet of taint ca utilize by high organic tonss caused by industrial and urban ravages every collation good as rustic tally offs in Asopos catchment country. The consequences findings of that research were high concentrations of nitrates and P in Asopos River.Equally utmostthest as the groundwater part is have-to doe withed, its features were classified into two separate classs the ions and the mite elements. Some of the consequences of the survey of the Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration ( I.G.M.E. ) ( Gianoulopoulos, 2008 ) bethe chief beginning of the nitrates are the N fertilisers, which are used in the agricultural sphere of influence. Additionally, the being of ammoniacal and nitrite ions is due to the urban and industrial befoulment beginnings.There is change magnitude concentration of Cland PO4ions, which are cons equence of industrial pollution beginnings.The condition below shows the precipitation and the average temperature of the part of Asopos for the period October 1999 to September 2010. The informations are taken from the meteoric Stationss at Kallithea, Tanagra and marathon. As we can easy recover the one-year plastered precipitation degrees are 534.5 millimeters, 502.9 millimeter and 625 millimeter severally. Equally far as the spurious one-year air temperature is 16.7OC and 17.5OC at the Tanagra and Marathon Stationss severally.Areas of Asopos categorized by purposeThe country of Asopos has H2O demands for industry, agribusiness, abode and touristry. The survey or so Asopos River Basin has to take into status that H2O demands and pass judgment the distribution of that needs among the utilizations. There is a demand to specify the areas that put more(prenominal) force per unit area in H2O work. For the industrial sphere, H2O rule takes topographicalal occlusive for rinsing and act uponising ( fabrics ) , brand issue, cement production, oil processing, energy production etc. Sing the touristry orbit of sparing system and domestic sector ( families ) H2O impost concerns the H2O lend for place usage by the reliable provider. The prioritization of H2O usage in Asopos River Basin is as followsWater supply of families, touristic units and pass placeIrrigation of cultivated countries and farm animal unitsIndustrial H2O usageIn the figure below the land usage of Asopos River Basin is presented. More specifically, the ecru colour represents the agricultural usage and the light majestic the industrial usage.Demographic DataPermanent PopulationThe lasting tribe of Asopos River Basin as reported at 2001 nosecount is given in the tabular crop belowFor the Municipalities / Communes that do non fall totally within Asopos River Basin, merely the lasting nation of the subsequent Municipal Departments and urban vicinities that are included in As opos River Basin was calculated.Employment victorious a expression at the put off below, which is harmonizing to informations from the delve Force keep abreast of the National statistical Service of Greece, we observe that the perfect nation of working age is divided into two big classs the economically active cosmos and the economically inactive population. The economically active population is divided into the occupied and the unindustrious. The employed are nation with age greater than or equal to 10 grey-haired ages, who had worked even for merely an hr during the look up hebdomad ( for wage or net in incur or in preindicationh obsolescent concern ) . Unemployed are volume with age greater than or equal to 10 old ages, who did non hold work during the commendation hebdomad, were presently available for work and were all actively seeking work in the past four hebdomads or had already found a occupation to array down within the following three months. In economi cally inactive population belong those individuals who neither classified as employed nor as unemployed.Taking into consideration the information given by the disconcert above in combination with the definitions given, we can easy let on that the entire economically active population in other words the work force of Asopos River Basin in 2001 was 31,764 people. Out of these people 28,837 are employed 90.8 % of the entire economically active population and 2,927 are unemployed 9.2 % of the entire economically active population. Equally far as the employing sectors is concerned, in the primary sector are employed almost 19.8 % of the sum of employed people and virtually 9.8 % of the entire population ( economically active and economically inactive people ) . In the substitute sector are employed close 28 % of the sum of employed people and about 14 % of the entire population of Asopos River Basin. Finally, in the third sector are employed about 35.2 % of the sum of employed people, whereas about 17.4 % of the entire population of Asopos River Basin.As shown in the Table below people that work in the primary and substitute(prenominal) sector are about 24 % ( 9.8 % + 14 % ) of the resident population of Asopos River Basin over 15 old ages old, whereas in the third sector is occupied about the 18 % of the resident population of Asopos River Basin over 15 old ages old. On the other manus in capital of Greece country occupants over 15 old ages old who are occupied in the primary and secondary sector are 11 % , whereas those who are occupied in the third sector are about the 32 % . Overall we can detect that the primary and secondary sector are more developed in Asopos River Basin than in capital of Greece country, whereas the third sector is much more developed in Athens country.The ProblemDescriptionTaking into history the fact that Asopos part supports 1300 industries and relate installations nutrient and drink industries, agrochemical, metal process ing etc. it is considered as the largest industrial part of Greece. 1970 was the decate that industrial activity started in the country of Asopos and more specifically in Schimatari and Inofita. To show some Numberss for the significance of the gambol of this country, we refer that 130 units of the bing 1s produce waste Waterss during their operational maps ( production ) . Equally far as the waste Waterss are concerned, the entire day-to-day produced eyeshade is about 9,044 m3/day. 84 % of that step is due to industrial waste Waterss. More specifically, this measure is split in 7,605 m3/day and 1,439 m3/day, the entire day-to-day measure of waste Waterss of the industrial units of the country and the entire day-to-day measure of waste Waterss of the employees of these units severally. Taking a glimpse at the Table below, which is a study from a study of M. Loizidou in 2009, we can easy detect that the chief sectors from which the bulk of waste Waterss come from are the sectors of Textile and leather industries , Metallurgy related industries and Industries of Foods and Drinks at 25 % , 21 % and 30 % severally.Consequences ImpactsThe estimated impacts of industrial sector on Asopos River Basin are fundamentally milieual and societal impacts.More specifically the environmental impacts of industrial pollution in Asopos catchment consist in catastrophe of biodiversity fish and invertebrates, birds on estuary and in the pollution and decrease of groundwater.On the other manus the societal impacts of industrial pollution in Asopos catchment are impacts on human wellness from ingestion of contaminated agricultural merchandises and groundwater, impacts on topical anesthetic anesthetic economic system, which is because of change magnitude cost for imbibing H2O for families, change magnitude cost for topical anaesthetic agricultural manufacturers, increased cost for nutrient industries, and lessening of tourers for local tourer companies. Finally, other so cietal impacts of industrial pollution of Asopos River Basin are impacts on diversion of local occupants every bit good as squallants ( touristry ) . superior investigate Method on Asopos CaseUsing the Choice experiment Method on the Asopos Case, the research workers targeted to measure a package of betterments, which could take topographic point in the Asopos River Basin.This package of betterments includesenvironmental conditions described in footings of ecological couch in all H2O organic structures of the catchmentImpact on the local economic system in footings of tourism/recreation, demand for local production and cost of life for families andImpact on human wellness described as handiness of H2O with a type and measure sufficient for fulfilling different local utilizations.The package of betterments is a mixture of usage and non-use apprises.As usage abide by is delimit the determine that people derive from the turn to usage of a good. Examples of usage cherish are r uning, fishing, or boosting. Use judges may besides include verifying utilizations. For illustration, a particular part offers direct usage look ons to the people who visit the country. Others could hold fun watching about this part in a television receiver show. In that manner they would have collateral usage values.As non-use value is specify the value that people assign to economic goods ( including public goods ) even if they neer have and neer will utilize it. Non-use value as a class may include option value the value placed on wholeness willingness to constitute for keeping an improver or alternative even if there is small or no likeliness of the person really of all time utilizing it, happening because of uncertainness about future(a) supply ( the act being of the plus ) and possible time to come demand ( the possibility that it may someday be used ) . bequest value values placed on single willingness to pay for keeping or inveterate an plus or resource th at has no usage now, so that it is available for future coevalss. Existence value an unusual and slightly controversial category of economic value, reflecting the proceeds people receive from cognizing that a peculiar environmental resource, such as Antarctica, the gram Canyon, endangered species, Sharri Dogs or any other being or thing exists. unselfish value the value placed on single willingness to pay for keeping an plus or resource that is non used by the person, so that others may do usage of it. Its value arises from others usage of the plus or resource.The method of Choice Experiments was chosen because since it is a conjectural survey-based method, it can quantify the public-service tum every bit good as the Willingness To Pay ( WTP ) for different conjectural degrees of severally property examined. In add-on, in Choice Experiments the respondent chooses between options, as packages of properties, doing picks prove to a lower danger for strategic prejudice yea h stating, in the replies. Finally, it is one of the best ways to measure non-market resources, options and properties.Sampling Survey MethodExcept for the necessitate of rating of the socio-economic and environmental effect related with the debasement of the basin, the survey that took topographic point aimed to look into the manner the two different populations that of the occupants of Asopos ( rural population ) and that of the occupants of Athens ( urban population ) give value to the same package of proposed betterments. Apart from the socio-demographic theme that has motivated this sampling, another ground for that is the different manner those populations experience the debasement of the environment due to location and economic dependence on the country.One of the chief reasonableness why two different samples were chosen was that the purpose of the survey was to happen out usage and non-use values. As a consequence the mark population was the occupants of the Asopos Riv er Basin, where the study took topographic point, because they would be straightforward affected by possible alterations in H2O direction. On the other manus occupants of Athinais were included in the study, because they were in close propinquity to Asopos River Basin. The study was conducted by door-to-door interviews. The interviews took topographic point in families and one grownup per house participated. Quota sampling was followed harmonizing to 2001 Census informations in roam the samples to be every bit proxy as possible. Finally, 25 % of the occupants were called. During the procedure of the interview were used suited showcards, which described the pitch scenario utilizing images. The census taker gave simple descriptions of the inquiries, read aloud. In that manner the census takers could break expound policy results to respondents in footings of properties and degrees.