Preface

Executive Summary

Introduction

Country Report - Romania

Country Report - Ukraine

Country Report - Slovakia

Country Report - Hungary

Country Report - Yugoslavia

• Introduction
• Natural and socio-economic conditions
• Networking
• Mapping
• Recognised needs for sustainable development
  

Annexes, appendices, references

• Summary
• Country Chapters

Natural and socio-economic conditions

Physical aspects

A small part of the Tisa watershed area lies within FR Yugoslavia territory, and covers only 6% or 8,994 km2. This area (Banat) belongs to the Republic of Serbia - Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. It is predominantly lowland, and part of the Pannonian Basin, which is the largest of the sediment - filled, post-orogenic basins of the Alpine region. The climate is typically continental, with four pronounced seasons, and with low precipitation.

In Yugoslavia, the Tisa River is a typical lowland river. The average discharge (Qav) of the Tisa river basin area in FRY reaches 794 m3/s, while the minimum discharge (Qmin95%) is only 126 m3/s. Average runoff (qav) is very low - less than 1 l/km2, due to very high evapo-transpiration from this territory. Furthermore, annual precipitation is one of the lowest in FRY. Therefore, there is very low levels of waters in the Tisa river basin area, which originate from FRY territory.

The Tisa River decline in FRY is less than 0.045‰. All other tributaries are also typical lowland rivers. In order to protect this terrain from floods, high embankments with a total length of 269 km protect the riverbanks, especially of the Tisa River. Thus, former river branches, flooded meadows and other wetlands are mainly cut off from the main streams and significantly decreased in the territory.

The unique character of the Tisa watershed in FRY is the hydro system Danube - Tisa - Danube (DTD). In this way, the Tisa is linked via canals with the Danube and with Timisoara in Romania. The river is also dammed at 63 km, near Novi Becej, as a part of the DTD irrigation system. This dam, together with backwaters from the reservoir on the Danube (Djerdap I or Iron Gate I), has slowed down the lower course of the Tisa River and caused certain changes in physical and chemical properties and the composition of biocenoses.

Socio-economic conditions

The Tisa river basin area is home to 809,755 inhabitants (1991 census). Only in this river basin area in FRY does the urban population dominate the rural (57.6% and 42.2% respectively). Population density is rather low - 90 inhabitants/km2. Population growth in this area is the lowest in FRY.

In this river basin area, GNP reaches the highest amount in FRY - about USD2,500.

The water from the Tisa is used for crop irrigation. The estimated water quantity abstracted for irrigation during 1997 was 75,106 m3/year. Large pig and cattle farms, intensive agriculture and carp ponds characterise agricultural production in the Tisa river basin area. Main point sources of water pollution are six pig farms, each with more than 20,000 fatlings per cycle. The other observed negative effect is salting of soil in some parts of the river basin area.

Estimated water quantity abstracted for industrial supply during 1997 was 100,106 m3/year, mainly for the food processing industry, petroleum and gas extraction, chemical industry, metals industry, pulp and paper industry, and textile industry. Transport infrastructure (168 km of waterways on the Tisa river) is also well developed in the river basin area. Industrial and mining wastewater discharge is estimated at 95,106 m3/year during 1997.

More than 80% of the urban population is connected to public water supply systems, characterised by exclusive abstraction of groundwater. However, groundwater reserves are continuously declining in the region of northern Banat - the water table of the second water-bearing stratum fell at some points by 10 to 27 m during the past approximately 10 years. Therefore, the pollution of the Tisa river basin, which can potentially be used for domestic water supply, poses a serious problem in the region. The estimated water quantity abstracted for water supply during 1997 was 93,106 m3/year and 19,106 m3/year in urban and rural areas, respectively. Municipal wastewater discharge was estimated at 84,106 m3/yr for 1997. Less then 50% of the urban population are connected to public sewerage systems, while septic tanks are widely used. Furthermore, open dumps for municipal and industrial waste are general characteristics of this river basin area.

Networking

Mapping

Recognised needs for sustainable development