Water Quality Monitoring of Meriç, Tunca and Ergene Rivers (Edirne, Turkey) in Rainy Season

Abstract

Meriç River is a significant river ecosystem for the Thrace Region and Balkans and Tunca and Ergene Rivers are the chief tributaries of Meriç
River. In the present investigation, surface water qualities of Meriç, Tunca and Ergene Rivers were monitored and the pressure of agricultural
applications on the system was assessed. Surface water samples were taken during the spring season of 2019 from 3 stations (upstream of
Meriç River and downstream of Tunca and Ergene Rivers) and some water quality parameters (pH, oxygen saturation, EC, dissolved oxygen,
TDS, turbidity, nitrate, phosphate, nitrite, salinity, sulphate, COD and BOD) were measured. As a result of detected physical and chemical
data, nitrogen and phosphorous compound concentrations in water of Meriç, Tunca and Ergene Rivers were found as in quite high levels and
contamination levels were recoded as; Ergene River > Tunca River > Meriç River in general.