Hydrology Research Vol 43 No 4 pp 330–340 © IWA Publishing 2012 doi:10.2166/nh.2012.112

Natural organic matter export from boreal catchments (the Salaca River basin, Latvia) and its influencing factors

Maris Klavins, Ilga Kokorite, Linda Eglite and Valery Rodinov

A noteworthy increase in the organic matter concentration and export, as well as water colour, in the catchments of the Salaca River has been observed during the last decades. This study investigates factors behind this increase: the impact of climate, land use and human loading changes on the concentrations and export of the organic matter in the Salaca River/Lake Burtnieks catchments. Proportion of wetlands in the river basin, type of land use, and runoff regime can be considered as the main factors influencing the organic carbon loadings. Despite a steady overall tendency of increase, considerable oscillations of organic matter loadings influenced by the changes in the river discharge regime were observed for extended periods of time.

Keywords: chemical oxygen demand; climate change; Latvia; organic matter; total organic carbon

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