Impatto delle attività antropiche su un fiume temporaneo. Il torrente Celone (Puglia) Impact of anthropogenic activities on a temporary river. The Celone River (Puglia, Italy)

in this work, a detailed study was carried out on the Celone river to quantify the nutrient loads delivered to the downstream reservoir on seasonal and annual time scale. An automatic sampler and a flow module were set up in a section of the river. Continuous measures of flow were carried out using a different frequency for water sampling when floods occurred and during normal or low flow state. Nutrient concentrations in the water samples were occurately determined in laboratory. Water quality of the river was found to vary considerably along the year in terms of nufrient concentration. Nitrate and total phosphorus are the moin cause of water pollution. Nutrient losses by surface runoff were essentially a winter process. The contribution per hectare of non poini sources can be estimoted at about 39 kg/ha of total nitrogen and 2.4 kg/ha of total phosphorus. Estimates of loads in terms of TN ond TP for the 21-day period of flood were calculated in 55 and 81 % of annual load, respectively.