Shamov V.V., Yurchenko S.G., Boldeskul A.G., Lutsenko T.N., Lupakov S.YU., Vshivkova T.S., Nikulina T.V.
Pacific Geography 2025; 21(1): 33-47
At present, the impact of urbanization on flow generation processes, water quality and aquatic biota in small rivers of Far-East Russian cities remains poorly understood due to the multi-temporal, multi-directional, ambiguous and complex nature of these impacts. The paper deals mainly with hydrological and hydrochemical aspects of the current geo-ecological state of the five largest perennial rivers, which catchment areas are located within the urban agglomeration of the Vladivostok City and have different periods of areal development related to the history of the metropolis. Dissolved matter monitoring data obtained in the headwaters and near-mouth of the five rivers in the pre-winter period (late October) of 2022 were used. It was found that the ratio of major dissolved substances in the urban rivers studied changes significantly from the headwaters, which are relatively unaffected by urbanization, to their estuaries. The concentration of nitrites, phosphorus and various metals such as Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni, Cd, Pb in the water of the rivers draining the urbanized area is significantly (up to several times) higher than the corresponding concentrations in the water of the “conditionally clean” upper reaches of the rivers studied. The exceedance of the Maximum Allowable Concentration (MAC) of Cu that were established for water bodies of fisheries importance in the lower reaches of the Pervaya Rechka R. and the Vtoraya Rechka R. was 1.5 and 4 MAC, respectively. Exceedances of the MAC of Mn in the lower reaches of the Sedanka, Vtoraya Rechka, Chernaya Rechka and Pervaya Rechka rivers were found to be 2 MAC, 3 MAC, 10 MAC and 16 MAC, respectively. Based on the comparison with the data collected in 1999-2011, conclusions were drawn about the pollution of urban rivers and the significant and complicated impact of urbanization on the rivers draining the territory of the Vladivostok City.
