Abstract

Changes in water resources availability, stream flow and in river ecosystems are the major expected impacts of climate changes in river basins. The climate change is expected to influence the quantity as well as the quality of water resources by, for instance, increasing “natural’ pollution. Consequently, it may lead to deterioration of water resources and destruction of ecosystems, along with extinction of endemic species of flora and fauna. In order to investigate the impact of climate changes on the river flow and on the content of salt concentration in river water The River Flow Substance Quantity Transfer Index (RFSQTI) was applied. The index relates the surface water quality and the hydrochemical and hydrological variables, and as a result provides flux of a given chemical substance by tone along the stream flow. The study was conducted in Marmarik River, thought to have no direct anthropogenic influence. The results indicated reduction in river flow and decrease and increase in the concentration of light and heavy ions, respectively, portrayed by the increase in the hardness of river water, suggesting a change in the water river source, with increase in the proportion of the ground water to surface water source. In the absence of major anthropogenic impacts, these changes are attributed to climate change. They attributed these changes to climate changes. The possible implications of the observed changes in the riverine ecosystems, water supply and water demand, as well as in the agriculture in the river basin are further discussed.

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