Hydrochemical Monitoring of Water Quality in Natural Water Bodies of the Ural River Basin

Abstract—A general characteristic of the river basin of the interstate Ural River and data on the economic use of the Ural River in its upper, middle, and lower reaches are given. Information on the hydrology of the liquid and solid flow of the Ural River is presented. Hydrochemical monitoring of the water bodies of the Ural River basin was performed during the flood period, the summer low-water period, and the autumn low-water period in the years 2017–2018. The hydrochemical monitoring of the water quality in the natural water bodies of the Ural catchment basin has revealed an excess in the MPC of heavy metal ions in the water of the studied water bodies for drinking water and for fishery water bodies. An excess in the MPC of cadmium ions for drinking water by 1.2–1.4 has been recorded in the Ilek River during low water periods, as well as in the Ural River near the border with the Russian Federation in the amount of 3.1–3.4 MPC for drinking water during the flood period and near the village of Zharsuat in the amount of 1.5–2.6 MPC for drinking water during summer and autumn low water periods. An excess in the MPC of lead ions for fishery water bodies by 1.2–1.4 has been revealed in the middle and lower reaches of the Ural River in different seasons of the year. Excessive concentrations of ions of different heavy metals compared to their MPC for fishery water bodies have been found in all water bodies in different periods of the year. The greatest excess of zinc ions compared to the MPC for fishery water bodies was observed during the low water period.