Výskumný ústav vodného hospodárstva

Monitoring of surface and groundwater in Slovakia in 2008 was based on the proposal for a network of monitoring surface water quality in 2007 in accordance with the Decree No. 221/2005 Coll.. The quality of surface water courses in 2008 was monitored in 314 sampling locations in total. Basic monitoring was carried out in 171 and operational monitoring in 203 abstraction points. To minimise the costs, some sampling sites were monitored for several purposes, i.e. there is an overlap between the basic network and operational monitoring.
For the years 2009 and 2010 it is unlikely to modify the final number of posts for basic and operational monitoring. Some differences may arise by transfers of sampling sites within each purpose of monitoring, particularly operational monitoring, which is linked to the risk refining of anthropogenic influence of the water courses. The part of operational monitoring is monitoring the water courses arising from the anthropogenic influence and monitoring the effectiveness of the remedies, which is adjusted by this variable factor. The number of sampling sites is guaranteed also by reporting these numbers to the European Commission as the Member States are obliged to report and monitor the water state in accordance with the WFD.
The implementation of the project based on the Slovak Water Monitoring Programme was approved for Slovakia for 2008-2010. Individual activities generally consist of the training programme, sampling in terms of the standard ČSN EN 25667-1, provision of all materials (e.g. basic chemicals, specifically chemical materials, reference materials and certified reference materials, laboratory equipment, glassware); technical (procurement of equipment, measuring equipment, off-road vehicles etc.) and human capacity building (professional and technical staff).
All the activities comprised sampling - analytical work - processing-evaluation of results. The analytical work consists of physical, chemical, hydro-biological, radio-chemical and micro-biological testing of water and sediments as well as from field measurements of hydro-morphological quality elements. These are carried out according to standard procedures established pursuant to the standardisation board STN, STN EN, ISO, EN ISO and pursuant to accreditation requirements in terms of EN ISO / IEC 17 025 and in accordance with STN ISO 9001.
Processing and interpretation of results is also carried out in accordance with the latest approved methodology for assessing ecological and chemical status under agreed procedures for border waters.
 
Part 1: Monitoring and Assessing Water Quality in Border Streams with Austria

Implementation of this activity consists of sampling the water in the border of two flows (the Danube and Morava) in four sampling sites (Moravian St. John, Devín, Karlova Ves and Hainburg) at monthly frequencies. Sampling is carried out jointly with the Austrian side. Water quality of streams is assessed by physicochemical, chemical, hydrobiological, radiochemical and microbiological water quality indicators that are agreed within the Commission on Border Waters with Austria. The results of analysis and sampling shall be processed and analyzed through a database and final report. A detailed list of sampling sites with different indicators of water quality and frequency of measurement is given in Annex. 2.

Part 2: Monitoring and Assessing Water Quality in Border Streams with Hungary

In accordance with the proposal of the Working Group quality on protection of transboundary waters of the Slovakian-Hungarian Committee on transboundary waters the activities include  the expanded monitoring of water quality in border streams with Hungary, the Danube seepage channel, Moson Danube and mouths/ estuaries of tributaries, the Váh, Hron, Ipeľ, Concó, Kenyérmezei, Általér.
The profile in Bratislava (Bratislava´s left bank, centre and right bank) is monitored for selected indicators each two weeks; the other places are monitored 12 times a year.
The part of this activity is also analysis of specific organic compounds and selected biological quality elements in the eastern border flows with Hungary (the Hornad, Bodrog, Bodva, Roňava, Slaná, Sokoliansky stream, Tisza) and the physico-chemical, chemical, hydrobiological, microbiological and radiochemical water quality parameters of the samples are monitored. The results of analysis and sampling shall be processed and analyzed in a database and final report.
A detailed list of sampling sites with different indicators of water quality and frequency of measurement is given in Annex 3.

Part 3: Monitoring the Biological Quality Elements

The following activities will be carried out:
 Sampling abstractions and analysis of aquatic macrophytes in the selected streams and lakes in Slovakia,
 Sampling abstractions and analysis of phytobenthos and macrozoobenthos in the selected lakes in Slovakia and
 Macrozoobenthos phytobenthos analysis of selected streams in Slovakia (including reference sites).
These are samplings of various communities of aquatic flora and fauna, the field measurements (e.g. estimate of substrates), determination of individual species as well as their quantification in the field and subsequently in the laboratories.
Biological quality elements are excluded from the activities, but are the subject of activities 1 and 2. The list of sampling sites for that activity with the frequency of sampling and analysis is in Annex 4.

Part 4: Analysis of Selected Organic Pollutants in Selected Slovak Sampling Sites

Implementation of this activity consists of the analytical laboratory work. Analyses of selected specific pollutant organic compounds (priority substances and substances relevant for Slovakia) are carried out on the monthly or quarterly basis, respectively in the sampling sites suggested in the basic and operational monitoring within the whole territory of Slovakia. These substances are toxic to aquatic communities and are difficult to be removed and stored in the sediments and in aquatic organisms. Analyses of these substances were excluded from the activities and are subject to activities 1 and 2. The list of sampling sites, the specific organic pollutants, and frequency analysis are mentioned in Annex 5.

Part 5:  Control Analysis of Groundwater in the State Monitoring of Groundwater Quality in Slovakia

Within quality monitoring of groundwater accredited analyses are carried out according to the standard EN ISO / IEC 17025 and thus are regularly monitored. Quality is also provided by analytical tests as an external control system, which consists of parallel processing of groundwater samples. Out of the total number of samples  5% of groundwater samples will be abstracted for check-up analysis, while a relevant set of indicators will be chosen.

Part 6: Monitoring of Selected Groundwater Quality Indicators in Vulnerable Areas of the Slovak Republic

Abstraction of samples, field measurements (physical chemical indicators, groundwater levels) and analysis (nutrients and pesticides) are carried out in groundwater vulnerable areas in terms of pollution, diffuse sources of pollution (nitrogen and pesticide substances from agricultural production).
These 600 monitoring structures per year, where water quality is monitored in the first water-bearing horizon, while abstractions and measurements are carried out in spring and autumn in relation to fertilizer application and after the agricultural cycle. The list of monitoring structures is included in Annex 6. The monitoring structures are newly built 720 WRI structures, 461 structures of existing SHMI network monitoring groundwater levels, 20 structures of sources. 1 201 of these structures will be added by sampling of other sources and gravel deposits in the total amount of 1600 structures.

Part 7: Monitoring of Hydro-Morphological Quality Elements in the Selected Sections of Streams in Slovakia

The field measurements are carried out, which are to monitor hydro-morphological quality elements in the selected stretches of streams. It is
 Flow quantity and dynamics - discharge, water level, velocity,
 Flow continuity - monitoring of barriers higher than 0.5m and assessment whether barriers impede migration of fish fauna,
 Depth variability and flow width: These hydro-morphological elements will be monitored in the system of section profiles, which will be measured by geodetic methods, non-fording flows of the boat, using ADP probes, ultrasound device ATLAS, or tracing),
 Structure of river bed and banks of the flow - the system will be monitored in the section profiles, where the samples of material for granulometrics will be taken, photo-documented and the description will be made.
The list of sampling sites for that activity is in Annex 7.

Part 8: Assessment of Ecological and Chemical Status of Surface Water Bodies SR

Implementation of this activity consists of processing the results of the above mentioned activities and other results of monitoring the surface waters in Slovakia in the terms of the requirements of the Water Framework Directive and the Decree of the Ministry of Environment, No. 221/2005 Coll. of laws. Based on the results of hydro-morphological, physical, chemical and biological quality elements and results of monitoring of relevant substances in accordance with the approved methodology for assessing the ecological water status various water bodies will be evaluated in Slovakia and the map output along with the evaluation report will be prepared. The part of this activity will also be preparation of documents for reporting to various international institutions such as the European Commission and the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR).