Spatial Heterogeneity of Water Chemical Composition of Mountain Rivers of the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria
https://doi.org/10.31857/S2587556621030158
Abstract
The research, conducted in May 2019, of several mountain rivers of Kabardino-Balkaria revealed a large spatial heterogeneity of their waters’ chemical composition as the most important environmental characteristic. This is mainly due to natural factors, namely, differences in their water and material feeding in the highlands and the middle mountains. In the first case, the rivers (Baksan River) are fed by snowfield and glaciers’ meltwater. Their water is low mineralized, with hydrocarbonate-calcium composition. Of the micro-impurities in river water, elements characteristic of both polluted precipitation and drained rocks predominate. In the middle mountains, rivers receive significant feeding from groundwaters, more saturated with chemical elements from the rocks drained by them. The water of these rivers is the most mineralized (rivers Cherek, Gundelen), its composition is dominated by Ca and SO4 (calcium and sulfates). The content of trace elements in the water of these rivers reflects the influence of drained runoff rocks. Trace elements enter the river as an underground tributary, as well as with stormwater floodwaters from the catchment. River waters of the study area dominated by Sr, Fe, Mn, Ba, Zn, Pb, Li, etc. No changes in the composition of trace elements in the water of the Nalchik River downstream city of Nalchik were detected. It was noted the influence of the Tyrnyauz plant on the qualitative composition of the Baksan River’s water. Downstream the city of Tyrnyauz the W and Mo content was increased several times in comparison with the river upper part.
Keywords
mountain rivers,
mineralization,
trace elements,
rocks,
groundwater,
precipitation,
storm runoff,
drinking water standards
Supporting agencies: The research was carried out within the framework of the state-ordered research theme of the Institute of Geography, RAS no. 0148-2019-0007 “Assessment of physical, geographical, hydrological and biotic changes in the environment and their consequences for the foundation of sustainable environmental management”.
About the Authors
G. S. Shilkrot
Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Moscow
T. M. Kuderina
Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Moscow
L. G. Lobkovskaya
Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Moscow
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Review
For citations:
Shilkrot G.S., Kuderina T.M., Lobkovskaya L.G. Spatial Heterogeneity of Water Chemical Composition of Mountain Rivers of the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria. Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk. Seriya Geograficheskaya. 2021;85(3):415-421. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.31857/S2587556621030158
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