Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Application of Two Quality Indices as Monitoring and Management Tools of Rivers. Case Study: The Imera Meridionale River, Italy

  • Published:
Environmental Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

On the basis of the European Water Framework Directive (2000/60), the water resources of the member states of the European Community should reach good quality standards by 2015. Although such regulations illustrate the basic points for a comprehensive and effective policy of water monitoring and management, no practical tools are provided to face and solve the issues concerning freshwater ecosystems such as rivers. The Italian government has developed a set of regulations as adoption of the European Directive but failed to indicate feasible procedures for river monitoring and management. On a local scale, Sicilian authorities have implemented monitoring networks of watersheds, aiming at describing the general conditions of rivers. However, such monitoring programs have provided a relatively fragmentary picture of the ecological conditions of the rivers. In this study, the integrated use of environmental quality indices is proposed as a methodology able to provide a practical approach to river monitoring and management. As a case study, the Imera Meridionale River, Sicily’s largest river, was chosen. The water quality index developed by the U.S. National Sanitation Foundation and the floristic quality index based on the Wilhelm method were applied. The former enabled us to describe the water quality according to a spatial–temporal gradient, whereas the latter focused on the ecological quality of riparian vegetation. This study proposes a holistic view of river ecosystems by considering biotic and abiotic factors in agreement with the current European regulations. How the combined use of such indices can guide sustainable management efforts is also discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Al-Ani MY, Al-Nakib SM, Ritha NM, Nouri AM, Al-Assima A (1987) Water quality index applied to the classification and zoning of Al-Jaysh Canal, Baghdad, Iraq. Journal of Environmental Science and Health 22:305–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allan JD, Castillo MM (2008) Stream ecology: structure and function of running waters, 2nd edn. Springer, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • American Public Health Association (APHA) (2005) Standard methods for the examination of water & wastewater, Centennial 21st edn. APHA, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Andreas BK, Lichvar RW (1995) Floristic index for establishing assessment standards: a case study for northern Ohio. Technical Report WRP-DE-8. U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS

    Google Scholar 

  • Bordalo AA, Nilsumranchit W, Chalermwa K (2001) Water quality and use of the Bangpakong river (Eastern Thailand). Water Research 35(15):3635–3642

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bordalo AA, Teixeira R, Wiebe WJ (2006) A water quality index applied to an international shared river basin: the case of the Douro river. Environment Management 38:910–920

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown RM, McClelland NI, Deininger RA, Tozer RG (1970) A water quality index—do we dare? Water and Sewage Works 117(10):339–343

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown RM, McClelland NI, Deininger RA, O’Connor MF (1972) A water quality index: crashing the psychological barrier. In: Jenkins SH (ed) Advances in water pollution research. Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference. Pergamon Press, New York, pp 787–794

  • Busch D, Ingraham N, Smith S (1992) Water uptake in woody riparian phreatophytes of the southwestern United States: a stable isotope study. Ecological Applications 2:450–459

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang NB, Chen HW, Ning SK (2001) Identification of river water quality using the fuzzy synthetic evaluation approach. Journal of Environmental Management 63(3):293–305

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman D (1996) Water quality assessments: a guide to the use of biota, sediments and water in environmental monitoring. wnd ed. Taylor & Francis, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • European Union (EU) (1975) Council Directive 75/440/EEC of 16 June 1975 concerning the quality required of surface water intended for the abstraction of drinking water in the Member States. Official Journal L194(25/07/1975):0026–0031

    Google Scholar 

  • Fennessy MS (1995) Quality assurance project plan for the project: testing the FQAI as an indicator of riparian wetland disturbance. Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Division of Surface Water, Columbus, Ohio

    Google Scholar 

  • Giardina G, Raimondo FM, Spadaro V (2007) A catalogue of plants growing in Sicily. Bocconea 20:5–582

    Google Scholar 

  • Glenn E, Tanner R, Mendez S, Kehret T, Moore D, Garcia J, Valdes C (1998) Growth rates, salt tolerance and water use characteristics of native and invasive riparian plants from the delta of the Colorado River, Mexico. Journal of Arid Environments 40:281–294

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graf WL (2004) Damage control: restoring the physical integrity of America’s rivers. Annals of the Association of American Geographers 91(1):1–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greuter W, Burdet HM, Long G (1984–1989) Med-Checklist. A critical inventory of vascular plants of the circum-Mediterranean countries. Conservatoire et Jardin Botanique de la ville de Genève & Secrétariat Med-Checklist, Genève, Vols 1–3

  • Herrera-Silveira JA, Comin FA, Aranda-Cirerol N, Troccoli L, Capurro L (2004) Coastal water quality assessment in the Yucatan Peninsula: management implications. Ocean and Coastal Management 47:625–639

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • INEA (Istituto Nazionale Economia Agraria) (2001) Qualità delle acque ad uso irriguo. INEA, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Jin C (2008) Biodiversity dynamics of freshwater wetland ecosystems affected by secondary salinisation and seasonal hydrology variation: a model based study. Hydrobiologia 598:257–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karr JR, Chu EW (2000) Sustaining living rivers. Hydrobiologia 422(423):1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lacoul P, Freedman B (2006) Relationship between aquatic plants and environmental factors along a steep Himalayan altitudinal gradient. Aquatic Botany 84:3–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Legislative Decree No. 152, 5 May (1999) Official Gazette of the Italian Republic 124, 29 May Legislative Decree no 152, 3 April (2006) Official Gazette of the Italian Republic 88, 14 April

  • Livingstone DA (1963) Chemical composition of rivers and lakes. Geological Survey Paper 440-G, pp G1–G64

  • Lopez RD, Fennessy MS (2002) Testing the floristic quality assessment index as an indicator of wetland condition. Ecological Applications 12(2):487–497

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malle KG (1996) Il disinquinamento del Reno. Le Scienze 330:66–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller WW, Joung HM, Mahannah CN, Garret JR (1986) Identification of water quality differences in Nevada through index application. Journal of Environmental Quality 15:265–272

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell MK, Stapp WB (1995) Field manual for water quality monitoring: an environmental education program for schools, 9th edn. Green Project, Ann Arbor, MI

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitsch WJ, Gosselink JG (1993) Wetlands. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Onaindia M, De Bikuña BG, Benito I (1996) Aquatic plants in relation to environmental factors in northern Spain. Journal of Environmental Management 47:123–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osugi T, Tate S, Takemura K, Watanabe W, Ogura N, Kikkawa J (2007) Ecological research for the restoration and management of rivers and reservoirs in Japan. Landscape and Ecological Engineering 3:159–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • PAI (2004) Hydrological restoration program. Department of Territory and Environment, Sicilian Government, Palermo

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodgers JC, Parker KC (2003) Distribution of alien plant species in relation to human disturbance on the Georgia Sea Islands. Diversity and Distributions 9(5):385–398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shafroth P, Friedman J, Ishinger L (1995) Effects of salinity on establishment of Populus fremontii (cottonwood) and Tamarix ramosissima (saltcedar) in southwestern United States. Southwestern Naturalist 55:58–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Štambuk-Giljanović N (1999) Water quality evaluation by index in Dalmatia. Water Research 33:3423–3440

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swink F, Wilhelm G (1979) Plants of the Chicago region: a checklist of the vascular flora of the Chicago region, with keys, notes on local distribution, ecology, and taxonomy, and a system for evaluation of plant communities. Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL

    Google Scholar 

  • Tutin TG, Heywood TH, Burges NA, Moore DM, Valentine SM, Webb DA (1964–1993) Flora Europea. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK

  • UNDP Human Developments Reports (2003) http://hdr.undp.org/en/

  • UNESCO World Water Development Report (2003) http://www.unesco.org/water/wwap/wwdr/wwdr1/table_contents/index.shtml

  • U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) (1993) National water summary 1990–91. USGS Water Supply Paper no. 2400. USGS, Washington, DC

  • Vicory AH, Tennant PA (1995) Sustainable management of the Ohio River (USA) by an interjurisdictionally represented commission. Water Science and Technology 32:193–200

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Water Framework Directive (WFD) (2000) Official Journal of the European Community L327:1–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilhelm G, Ladd D (1988) Natural area assessment in the Chicago region. Transactions 53rd North America Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, Louisville, KY, pp 361–375

  • Yoder CO (1991) Answering some concerns about biological criteria based on experiences in Ohio. Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Division of Water Quality Planning and Assessment, Columbus, OH, pp 95–104

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was partially funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Scientific and Technological Research and is part of a research program into aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in Sicily (PRA No. 21040101). The authors also wish to thank the Editorial Board, Dr. Dale Robertson, and the two anonymous reviewers for their critically constructive comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department DACPA, Division of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of Catania, Via Valdisavoia 5, 95123, Catania, Italy

    Giuseppe Bonanno & Rosa Lo Giudice

Authors
  1. Giuseppe Bonanno
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rosa Lo Giudice
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rosa Lo Giudice.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bonanno, G., Giudice, R.L. Application of Two Quality Indices as Monitoring and Management Tools of Rivers. Case Study: The Imera Meridionale River, Italy. Environmental Management 45, 856–867 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-010-9450-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-010-9450-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation