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C11 - Nutrients in freshwater of Georgia

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Key messages

Over the time period 2004-2018 river nitrate and phosphate concentrations have been relatively stable for rivers draining to the Black Sea, while for rivers draining to the Caspian Sea there has been a marked increase, in particular for phosphate.

Phosphate concentrations in Lake Paliastomi decreased sharply at the beginning of the time series and then remained stable, while the nitrate concentrations have been highly variable.

Present (2016-2018) river nitrate and phosphate concentrations were below the national maximum permissible concentration, but these thresholds are quite high. The nitrate concentrations were generally relatively low, while the phosphate concentrations can be considered relatively high at a large proportion of the sites. Both nitrate and phosphate concentrations in rivers were higher for rivers in the Caspian Sea basin.

Present (2016-2017) groundwater nitrate concentrations were relatively low, in particular in western Georgia.

Are concentrations of nutrient in surface waters in Georgia decreasing?

Figure 1 - Nutrients in surface waters (2004-2018)

Data sources: 

Data was provided by National Environmental Agency of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture under the ENI SEIS II East project activities

Note: The data series are calculated as the average of annual mean concentrations of phosphate (mg P/l) (top) and nitrate (mg NO3-N/l) for river sites in the two major river basins of Georgia (Black Sea and Caspian Sea basins) and for the whole country for the period 2004-2018. The total number of river sites is given in parenthesis. The data series are calculated as the annual mean concentrations of phosphate (mg P/l) (bottom left) and nitrate (mg NO3-N/l) (bottom right) for Lake Paliastomi for the period 2004-2018.

Average river nitrate and phosphate concentrations in the Black Sea river basin have been fairly stable over the time period 2004-2018. For nitrate there has been a slight decrease (16%) when comparing the last three years to the first three years. 

For the Caspian Sea river basin there was a marked increase for both phosphate and nitrate concentration, with phosphate being more than three times higher at the end of the time series and

a doubling for nitrate.  The middle of the time series should be treated with some caution, due to lower number of samples per year. This goes in particular for the years 2011-13 and the Caspian Sea basin. This can explain the higher concentrations observed in these years.

Phosphate concentrations in Lake Paliastomi decreased sharply at the start of the time series and have been relatively stable since 2008. The nitrate concentrations have been highly variable. The lowest values were observed in 2012-2014.

What is the current state of nutrient concentrations in surface waters in Georgia?

Figure 2 - Rivers -mean phosphate and nitrate concentrations (2016-2018)

Data sources: 

Data was provided by National Environmental Agency of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture under the ENI SEIS II East project activities

Note: Distribution of river monitoring sites to phosphate (top) and nitrate (bottom) concentration classes in the two major river basins of Georgia (Black Sea and Caspian Sea basins), based on average of the annual mean concentrations for 2016-2018. The number of monitoring sites per river basin is given in parenthesis. 

The class system is the same as the one used in the EEA indicator WAT 003 - Nutrients in freshwater in Europe. See the indicator specification section there for further information. 

Figure 3 - Groundwater – Annual mean nitrate concentration (2016-2017)

Data sources: 

Data was provided by National Environmental Agency of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture under the ENI SEIS II East project activities

Note: Distribution of groundwater monitoring sites to nitrate concentration classes in eastern and western Georgia, based on average of the annual mean concentrations for 2016-2017. The number of monitoring sites per region is given in parenthesis. 

The class system is the same as the one used in the EEA indicator WAT 003 - Nutrients in freshwater in Europe. See the indicator specification section there for further information. 

The average phosphate and nitrate concentrations at the river sites in 2016-2018 never exceeded the national maximum permissible concentrations (10.2 mg NO3-N/l for cyprinid waters, 9.0 mg NO3-N/l for salmonid waters and 1.1 mg P/l). These thresholds are, however, very high, and do not necessarily reflect the ecological conditions of the water bodies. For phosphate the concentrations were higher in the Caspian Sea basin, with 91% of the river sites having phosphate concentrations above 0.1 mg P/l, which is considered sufficiently high to cause eutrophication. Also for nitrate the concentrations were higher in the Caspian Sea basin, but overall nitrate concentrations were relatively low.

Average groundwater nitrate concentrations for 2016-2017 were generally low and were all far below the national threshold (50 mg NO3/l), which is a more reasonable threshold for groundwater, where the main concern is human consumption (the EU Drinking Water Directive 98/83/EC sets the maximum allowable concentration for nitrate to 50 mg NO3/l). All except one monitoring site had average concentration above 10 mg NO3/l. Like for rivers, the nitrate concentrations in groundwater were generally lower in western Georgia. Here all monitoring sites were below 1 mg NO3/l. The lower concentrations in the west may be due to less agriculture than in the east.

Indicator specification

Indicator definition

Concentrations of phosphates and nitrates in rivers and lakes and nitrates in groundwater (phosphate was used instead of total phosphorus in lakes)

Units

The concentration of phosphates is expressed as mg of P/litre the concentration of nitrates is expressed as mg of NO3-N/l for rivers and lakes and mg of NO3/litre for groundwater.

Rationale

Justification for indicator selection

Large inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus to water bodies from urban areas, industry and agricultural areas can lead to eutrophication. This causes ecological changes that can result in a loss of plant and animal species (reduction in ecological status) and have negative impacts on the use of water for human consumption and other purposes. The main source of nutrient pollution of surface waters in Georgia is municipal wastewater, but agriculture is also a major contributor.

 

The environmental quality of surface waters with respect to eutrophication and nutrient concentrations is an objective of several directives: the Water Framework Directive, the Nitrate Directive, the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, the Surface Water for Drinking Directive and the Freshwater Fish Directive.

 

Scientific references

 

Policy context and targets

Context description

National policy context

  • Law of Georgia on Water, 16 October 1997. №936; http://mepa.gov.ge/Ge/Laws;

  • Resolution # 425 of the Government of Georgia of 31 December 2013 on approval of technical regulations for protection against surface pollution of Georgia;

  • The third National Program of Environmental Action of Georgia (NEAP-3)

International policy context

The ecological degradation of freshwater with respect to eutrophication and nutrient concentrations is the objective of several EU directives. These include: the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC), aimed at reducing nitrate pollution from agricultural land, the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), aimed at reducing pollution from sewage treatment works and certain industries, and finally the Water Framework Directive, which requires the achievement of good ecological status or good ecological potential of surface water bodies. In accordance with the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, the country has an obligation to comply with the requirements of these Directives.

 

Targets

National targets

The general target is to achieve good ecological status or potential of surface water bodies.

The national maximum permissible concentrations for surface waters are:

Phosphate: 3.5 mg PO4/l (1.1 mg P/l)

Nitrate: 45 mg NO3/l (10.2 mg NO3-N/l) for cyprinid waters, 40 mg NO3/l (9.0 mg NO3-N/l) for salmonid waters

According to the 58 Decree of 15 January 2014 on Approval of Technical Rules of Drinking Water, the threshold value for nitrate in groundwater is 50 mg NO3/l.

International targets

The UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 target 6.3 aims to achieve, by 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.

Related policy documents

  • Resolution # 425 of the Government of Georgia of 31 December 2013 on approval of technical regulations for protection against surface pollution of Georgia;

  • The third National Program of Environmental Action of Georgia (NEAP-3)

 

Methodology

Methodology for indicator calculation

The National Environmental Agency undertakes monitoring of freshwater quality in Georgia. Monitoring data from monitoring conducted at 48 locations of 17 rivers and two locations in one lake was used. Mostly the sampling frequency is once per month in rivers and 1-4 times per year for lakes. The number of monitoring sites has increased over the years.

 

Annual time series for each site are calculated by averaging the values for individual samples per year. Aggregated river time series are calculated as the average of the individual annual time series, and are calculated for river sites in the two major river basins (rivers draining to the Black Sea or the Caspian Sea), as well as for the whole country. Only time series that are complete after gap filling are included in the aggregated time series. This is to ensure that the aggregated data series are consistent, i.e. including the same sites throughout the time series. In this way assessments are based on actual changes in concentration, and not changes in the number of sites. For lakes only Lake Paliastomi has a long time series. Here the time series from two monitoring sites were combined, with a shift in 2015.

 

For the present state analysis of river data, the monitoring sites were assigned to different concentration classes, based on the average of annual mean concentrations for 2016-2018. All sites with data from 2016-2018 were included in the analysis, independent of the number of years with data within the time period.

Groundwater monitoring ended in the early 1990s and was only resumed in 2013 with more sites being added since then. There are currently 45 monitoring sites, but data were only available for 34 sites for the current analysis. The sampling frequency is twice per year. Due to the short time span, only the present state was analysed for groundwater. The present state concentration is calculated as the average of annual mean concentrations over the most recent years (2016-17). The data are then presented as distribution among concentration classes in the geographical regions of eastern and western Georgia.

 

Methodology for gap filling

Gaps of up to three years are filled by linear interpolation. At the beginning and end of the time series values are extrapolated by copying the first or last value, respectively, for up to three years. Time series with more than three consecutive years missing within the selected time period are not included.

Methodology references

  • EEA, 2005. EEA core set of indicators guide. EEA Technical report No 1/2005, ISBN 92-9167-757-4, Luxembourg.

  • UNSD and UNEP, 2013. Questionnaire 2013 on Environment Statistics. United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme, Questionnaire 2013 on Environment Statistics, Section Water.

  • UNECE, 2018. Guidelines for the Application of Environmental Indicators, Description of C11. Nutrients in freshwater.

  • UNECE, 2018. Guidelines for the Application of Environmental Indicators, Glossary of terms – C11. Nutrients in freshwater.

 

Uncertainties

Methodology uncertainty

No uncertainty has been specified.

 

Data sets uncertainty

No uncertainty has been specified.

Rationale uncertainty

No uncertainty has been specified.

 

Data sources

Data was provided by National Environmental Agency of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture under the ENI SEIS II East project activities

 

Generic metadata

Topics:

Indicator code: C11

Tags:

Temporal coverage: 2004-2018

DPSIR: pressure

Typology: descriptive indicator (type A – what is happening to the environment and to humans?)

Contact and ownership

Contact:

Gulchina Kuchava

Marina Zuleyva

Nana Kitiashvili

Marine Arabidze

Ownership:

National Environment Agency of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture

Dates

Publish date: Jan 20, 2020

Last modified: Feb 07, 2020

Frequency of updates: every year

Related content:

Short-term work

Expansion of the monitoring network, harmonisation of water bodies assessment methodology with EU standards (Water Framework Directive)

Long-term work

Expansion of the monitoring network.