Presentation given at the 6th Regional Nutrient Reduction Conference in the Black Sea - Danube Basin in Ankara, Turkey. Project Management Unit “Agricultural Pollution Control” Tel: +40.741.242.002; E-mail: snicolau@mailox.ro; www.apcp.ro

1. Romanian Experiences with Monitoring and Water
Quality Through Agricultural Pollution Control Project
Estefan Nicolau
APCP Romania
Ankara, Turkey
October 23-25, 2007

2. Project Interventions
At project area
level:
A detailed
water quality
monitoring
network
Rehabilitation
of the water
and soil
quality
monitoring
laboratories

3. Measuring results of nutrient pollution control interventions
• Monitoring the nutrients concentration into the surface and
ground water and review of eutrophical state of the surface
waters at regular intervals.
• Use of indirect measurement methods.
Options:

4. Measuring nutrients concentration into the ground and surface waters
Strong points:
– It shows the actual
quality of the ground
and surface waters at
designated measuring
stations.
Weak points:
– The existing sampling
stations could be not
representative for
project interventions.
– The frequency of
measurements could
not catch stochastic
events as storm rains,
snow melting or variable
factors as fertilizers or
manure applications.
– The trend of nutrient
concentration does not
reflect only the project
interventions.
– It is expensive.

5. Nitrate concentration in Piezometers
Piezometer P5
0.000
5.000
10.000
15.000
20.000
25.000
01.09.03
01.11.03
01.01.04
01.03.04
01.05.04
01.07.04
01.09.04
01.11.04
01.01.05
01.03.05
01.05.05
01.07.05
01.09.05
01.11.05
01.01.06
01.03.06
01.05.06
01.07.06
Testing Date
NO3-mg/l
NO3
Piezometer P8
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
01.09.03
01.11.03
01.01.04
01.03.04
01.05.04
01.07.04
01.09.04
01.11.04
01.01.05
01.03.05
01.05.05
01.07.05
01.09.05
01.11.05
01.01.06
01.03.06
01.05.06
01.07.06
Testing Date
NO3-mg/l
NO3

6. Drinking water quality
Water Well C18
0.000
20.000
40.000
60.000
80.000
100.000
120.000
24.11.03
24.01.04
24.03.04
24.05.04
24.07.04
24.09.04
24.11.04
24.01.05
24.03.05
24.05.05
24.07.05
24.09.05
24.11.05
24.01.06
24.03.06
Testing Date
NO3-mg/l
NO3

7. Why use the indirect measurement methods?
• Are based on extensive scientific research.
• Allow assessment of total results of a variety of diverse interventions.
• Are cheap and offer good accuracy.
• Allow for quantitative estimate in terms of nutrient pollution reduction using
the survey results.
• Allow for forecasting of results of new projects implementing the same
nutrient pollution control interventions.

8. Before Project (Year 2000)
Total
manure
(tons):
Of which:
Use Comments
% tons
80,184
2 1,604
As fertilizers in the back
yard vegetable garden
Good practice,
reduced looses
98 78,850
Mixed with household
waste and dumped in
unauthorized places
The entire
quantity of
nutrients is lost
Nutrients
(kg/t)
N P K
6 3.5 8
Nutrients in fresh manure

9. Year 2006 (Project year 5)
Total
manure
(tons):
Of which:
Use Comments
% tons
80,184
5 4,009
As fertilizers in the back yard
vegetable garden
Good practice,
reduced looses
29 22,950
Manure applied as fertilizer on
agricultural lands
Good practice.
Only the nutrients
that are not
available to plants
are lost
66 53,225
Still unmanaged manure,
source of pollution, due to the
inappropriate behavior of
some farmers
The entire quantity
of nutrients is lost
According the monitoring surveys and the communes’ reports, the use of the
manure during the year 2006 was as follows:

10. Reduction of nutrients discharge into the waters in the year 2006, due to
manure management interventions at commune and household levels:
N (t/year) P (t/year) K (t/year)
Nutrients subject to
leaching WITHOUT
PROJECT (t/year)
473.41 276.15 631.21
Nutrients subject to
leaching PY5 - 2006
(t/year)
389.57 194.83 489.59
Reduction of
nutrients discharge
into the ground and
surface waters in
year 2006 (t/year)
83.84 81.32 141.62

11. Total reduction of the nutrients discharge into the waters in the Project area, in
the year 2006, as result of appropriate Manure Management and use of the
Code of Good Agricultural Practices:
Reduction of nutrients
discharge into the ground
and surface waters in year
2006 (t/year)
From manure and factory made fertilizers used into
the Project area
N (t) P (t) K (t)
128.6 110.8 141.7

12. Effectiveness of investment
Demonstrations measured in terms
of actual stress reduction (N
reduction) achieved at the project
site(s)
Estimate of impact
achievable through country-
wide application of new
approach (to all NVZs)
Extrapolation to the
entire watershed
Measurable during
project lifetime
Due to lag time of response, changes in
environmental status in the target water-
body will only be detected well beyond
project completion
Stress reduction Environmental status
Source: Andrea Merla – GEF Secretariat

14. N
(tons)
P
(tons)
K
(tons)
Present situation:
Total nutrients looses into the aquatic system
(tones/year)
15,350 8,950 20,460
After Project implementation (year 2013):
Total nutrients looses into the aquatic system
(tones/year)
11,010 5,255 15,585
Forecasted reduction of nutrients looses into the
aquatic system (tones/year)
4,340 3,695 4,875
Estimation of the impact achievable through application of manure
management and use of the Code of Good Agricultural Practices to all NVZs

15. Lessons learned that could be transferred to help other GPA – Partnership
in order to achieve similar results
The Recipe of a Smooth and Successful Implementation
- Strong support of the central coordinating authority and the World Bank
counterparts;
- Permanent contacts and substantial involvement of the local authorities
- Total commitment of the Project beneficiaries
- Timely and appropriate guidance from the National and Local Coordination
Committees
- GEF, GOR and Local funds available on timely basis
- A knowledgeable and dedicated Project Implementation Team.

16. Thank you for your attentionThank you for your attention
Project Management Unit “Agricultural Pollution Control”
Tel: +40.741.242.002; E-mail: snicolau@mailox.ro; www.apcp.ro