Freshwater - Drivers and pressures (Portugal)

SOER 2010 Common environmental theme (Deprecated)

Topics: Water and marine environment

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SOER Common environmental theme from Portugal

Topic: Freshwater

Published: 26 Nov 2010 Modified: 11 May 2020

One of the principal factors responsible for water body degradation is nutrient enrichment, particularly in the form of nitrogen and phosphorus, as a result in particular of the use of fertilisers in agriculture, urban wastewater discharges and the discharge of waste from agro-industry and other industrial sectors.

Table 3 shows the issues relating to pressure and drivers identified in each river basin district (RBD) in the reports on significant water management issues drawn up in 2008 in the second stage of public involvement in RBD management plans under the Law on Water and the Water Framework Directive (WFD).

Table 3 Issues relating to drivers and pressures identified in each river basin district

Issues identified	River basin district
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Nitrate and phosphorus enriched water	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Organic pollution (CBO5, ammoniacal nitrogen)	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Eutrophication (nitrates, phosphorus, phosphorus compounds, chlorophyll-a, occurrence of algal blooms)			X	X	X	X	X	X
Microbiological pollution	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Changes in flow regime	X	X	X			X	X
Changes in flora and fauna communities	X	X	X	X		X	X
Groundwater contamination	X	X	X		X	X	X	X
Flooding	X	X	X	X	X	X		X
Water scarcity		X	X	X		X	X	X
Biodiversity reduction						X	X	X
Metal pollution		X			X	X	X
Water quality degradation due to sediment suspension						X	X
Pollution with hazardous and priority substances (biocidal and plant protection products)				X	X	X	X
Habitat destruction/fragmentation						X	X
Saline intrusion in groundwater	X	X						X
Coastal area degradation	X	X	X	X				X
Aquifer overexploitation								X
Competition between species for space and food with consequent community disequilibrium						X	X
Inputs from Spain	X	n.a.	X	n.a.	X	n.a.	X	n.a.
Changes in sediment dynamics (erosion and silting up)	X		X	X
Competition between non-native and indigenous species								X

Figure 5 River basin district in continental Portugal

RH1 – Minho and Lima

RH2 – Cávado, Ave and Leça

RH3 – Douro

RH4 – Vouga, Mondego, Lis and Ribeiras do Oeste

RH5 – Tejo

RH6 – Sado and Mira

RH7 – Guadiana

RH8 – Ribeiras do Algarve

Source: INAG, 2009

It should be noted that nitrate and phosphorus enriched water was identified as significant in all RBDs, as was inputs from Spain, which were identified in all international RBDs. Groundwater contamination, flooding, microbiological pollution and organic pollution (CBO5, ammoniacal nitrogen) were identified in seven out of the eight continental RBDs.

References

INAG (2009). Report ‘Questões significativas da gestão da água na Região Hidrográfica do Cávado, Ave e Leça, Douro, Guadiana, Minho e Lima, Ribeiras do Algarve, Sado e Mira, Tejo, e Vouga – Documento de apoio à Participação Pública’. Instituto da Água, Lisboa.
http://dqa.inag.pt/dqa2002/port/docs_apoio/doc_nac/Docs_PartPublica/Relatorio_Resultados_PP_QSiGA_30_Junho_2009.pdf