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MONITORING SYSTEMS Azerbaijan History of Monitoring The first environmental monitoring data were obtained during the first Caspian expedition in 1901 - 1904. Monitoring of the Caspian began with industrial oil production. Later the State Committee of Hydrometeorology of the Republic of Azerbaijan outlined seven sections with 8 - 15 components being determined systematically. The accumulated monitoring data are processed in the State Committee of Hydrometeorology and published in its annual digest. The monitoring was carried out at 27 stations where samples of air and soil were collected for chemical and biological analysis. The monitoring was carried out in the littoral zone and in the oil production regions. The total number of observation stations in the whole Caspian was more than 300 in the Soviet era. The samples were collected quarterly by seven big ships covering 3/4 of the Caspian area.
Current monitoring At present "Goscomhydromet" observes three sections of the Caspian, the littoral zone and the oil production regions on a quarterly basis on the territory of Azerbaijan. Two big specialized ships do the observation. Due to economic difficulties the regular schedule of sample collection is not followed. The lack of chemical reagents for analysis led to a decrease of the observation stations and the number of samples collected. In 1969 the State Inspection on the Caspian Protection in the frames of Goscomecology was established. The State Inspection introduced the so-called ecological stations in the area of deposits for visual and analytical control. 23 sites in the littoral zone and the zone of drilling and oil production have been outlined for further monitoring. The State Inspection collects water samples and analyzes them in the laboratory. The samples are collected at 122 points with the help of Molchanov's barometer; bottom samples are collected with the help of a special soil collector. The samples collection points in the Caspian have been selected in regard to oil- and gas-production, drilling, hydrotechnical installations and sewage water discharges into the water reservoir. The water and soil samples are chemically analyzed according to the "Detection methods for pollutants in bottom sediments". The State Inspection also monitors the efficiency of the eight existing purification facilities. The ecological situation of the Caspian has been assessed on the basis of regular hydrochemical and hydrobiological observation data obtained by Goscomhydromet using the data of nature protection organizations of the Caspian states. The bad ecology in the Caspian region is a heritage of the former USSR industry. The coast of Azerbaijan (18 stations), Turkmenistan (11 stations) and the open water area (9 stations) are monitored for hydrobiological pollution of water and bottom sediments. The hydrobiological monitoring includes counting of the total number of bacteria, possible number of saprophyte and petroleum oxidizing bacteria as well as the processes of production and destruction of organic matter.
Iran Current Monitoring Monitoring the level of pollution in Caspian has always been considered important. Two organizations in the region are required by law carry out this monitoring:
However both institutions have done very little so far to monitor the quality of the Caspian . Other monitoring centers should established.
Required Monitoring To preserve the water quality and to ensure that measures are taken to prevent further deterioration of the situation, it is important to establish a comprehensive monitoring system. Samples of the water (and if necessary sediments) at different points should be regularly analyzed and the results must be recorded. A history of the water quality would thus be available which would be useful for future and it could detect changes due to accidents or malpractice. Unfortunately, regional institutions do not have the means and financial backing to establish the well-equipped monitoring system needed. Four or more full-scale laboratories and monitoring stations are needed to carry out this important task. The laboratories must have expert chemists and environmentalists trained for monitoring. Close cooperation between these stations and other academic institutes and research centers in the region is essential. Equipment for sample collection, including boats and special devices to collect water and sediment samples and to analyze them with modern techniques must be available in these centers. The management of these stations should be independent. Centers, which belong to government (such as D.O.E and I.F.T.R.O) like many other government institutions, usually are bound by unnecessary bureaucracy. Therefore they are rather ineffective. It is therefore recommended that independent or existing privately owned research centers, N.G.O's or academic institutions undertake this project with the financial support of others. However the list of important research institutes and academic organizations which can be considered to help monitoring system of the Caspian are given here.:
Regional Rerch and Academic Institutes The University of Gilan in Rasht and the University of Mazandaran in Sary are both important state universities conducting courses on environmental subjects. However these institutions have not been very much involved yet in research relating to Caspian . Rerch and academic institutions dealing with the Caspian problems:
I.F.R.T.O Iranian Fisheries Rerch and Training Organization of the Ministry of Jahad Sezandeghi. I.F.R.T.O has several centers for monitoring fishing and marine environment. It also controls rivers and the , including spawning grounds and water quality. This institution has research centers at several points on Caspian coast line such as: “Mirza Kouchek Khan” Higher Education for Fishery Science and Industries Center in Rasht Mazandaran Fisheries Rerch Center in Sary Astaneh Ashrafie Fisheries Rerch Center in Astaneh (Gilan). Address: Department of Environment (D.O.E.) D.O.E regional offices at Rasht and Sary control environmental pollution by monitoring and regulating industries and other pollution generating activities. The D.O.E has also laboratories in Anzali and Chalus for sampling and measuring different pollution parameters including nutrients, heavy metal, oil and grease that are carried into the Caspian. The D.O.E. is monitoring the level of pollution in the Anzali wetlands and the MianCale Gulf, both important safe homes for migrating birds. Contact addresses: Mr. Roshanzamir Mr. Hoseyni Center for Caspian Rerch This center was established with the financial support of the Ministry of Power. Most of its research is concerned with the rising water level. The center has established contacts with the Academy of Sciences of Russia.
Sharif University of Technology The Department of Omran & B.B.R.C conducts research and courses on. It has done some research on the water level rise. Contact address: - Agricultural Rerch Center of the Ministry of Agriculture They carry out research on low level fertilizer harvesting, but have no interest on the Caspian Water's pollution problems. Contact address: - Faculty of Environment of Tehran University - Power Rerch Institution of the Ministry of Power Energy Rerch Institution of the Ministry of Petroleum Iranian Rerch Organization for Science & Technology Contact address: Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. This institute has recently established a radiation-monitoring center on the coast. No data has been published yet. University of Gilan University of Mazandaran University of Tarbiat Modarress Contact address: Kazakhstan The former USSR had a monitoring system for the Soviet part of the Caspian . Hydrometeorological stations and health care services monitored air, soil and water pollution. There were also some mobile stations. After the demise of the USSR this monitoring system disintegrated. Today, Kazakhstan has monitoring laboratories in the Atyrau, Aktau and Caspian observation centers for environmental pollution. The monitoring stations, technical equipment and facilities are in bad condition because of the economic difficulties in Kazakhstan. There is almost no money for equipment, laboratory utensils, chemical vessels, means of transport and personnel. Therefore, the number of parameters analyzed has been reduced. Also, the number of monitoring stations has been reduced to ten. The laboratory in Atyrau is monitoring air and water pollution, and the laboratory in Aktau is measuring emissions into the atmosphere.
Russia History of Monitoring The former State Committee of the USSR for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Protection had a system of integrated environmental monitoring of the Caspian . Its network included coastal, island, marine and river mouth stations and points for obtaining hydrometeorological and hydrochemical data on the Caspian and its pollution. The system performed observations at 212 stations in the coastal zone and off-shore and conducted hydrometeorological, hydrochemical and hydrobiological. It monitored on a regular base 20 points in the mouths of the rivers Volga, Terek, Sulak, Ural and Kura. That system was designed in a period of relatively stable water level. It was not fully adequate for conditions of a rising water level. After collapse of the USSR it broke apart. Lower financing caused the reduction of background monitoring at terrestrial and marine stations. Reduced monitoring made adequate assessment of background pollution impossible. The collapse of the integrated hydrometeorological network in the Caspian region caused significant deterioration of environmental information on the region. As a result, planning of economic and environmental activities has become very difficult. Therefore, the restoration of the hydrometeorological network is necessary for the improvement of the environmental situation and the protection of population of coastal areas.
Current Monitoring In spite of the deteriorating technical base for applied environmental research, some institutes in the Caspian region of the Russian Federation use mobile laboratories for monitoring water and air quality, stationary laboratories for technical ecology, monitoring stations for the water resources (also in mountain areas). The Institute of Applied Ecology in Makhachkala is designing special equipment for biological treatment of oil pollution. Efficient and effective addressing of regional environmental issues of the Caspian calls for a modern interstate monitoring and communication system for the environment of the region. Such a system should provide:
New Projects A United State System of Environmental Monitoring (USSEM) is now being established in the Russian Federation. It will operate on two levels, the federal and the territorial levels. USSEM will be connected with activities of various ministries and agencies, institutions and enterprises, involved in the process of obtaining, collection, storage, processing and transfer of information on the state of the environment. USSEM will be concerned with:
Monitoring objects of USSEM are:
In 1996 the session of the Interstate Ecological Council of CIS member countries (IEC) adopted the Statute on the Interstate system of environmental monitoring (ISSEM), that correlates with USSEM of the Russian Federation. Therefore, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russia got a coordinated scientific-methodological basis for the organization of a regional environmental monitoring system for the Caspian. However, such a system with participation of all littoral countries has not yet been created. About four years ago the hydrometeorological services of the Caspian suggested to develop an integrated program in the field of hydrometeorology and environmental monitoring of the Caspian. The resolutions of the meeting of the expert committee on implementation of the Regional Integrated Program of the Caspian States on Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring of the Caspian and its Basin (Moscow, March 1996) were aimed at:
In Russia, the principal institutions participating in this program will be the State Institute of Ocean Sciences (SIOS) and the network of the Federal Committee for Hydrometeorology and Monitoring (Roshydromet). In 1997 Roshydromet proposed the Program for Integrated Assessment of the State of the Caspian (PIASCS) for implementation by the Governments of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan. The main objectives of the project are:
Turkmenistan Before the disintegration of the USSR a network of six stations on the Turkmenian coast monitored the basic parameters of the Caspian. It was operated by the Azerbaijan Administration on Hydrometeorology, which had the technical means for monitoring and maintenance, also on hydrometeorological ships. After Turkmenistan became an independent country, these stations were assigned to the Turkmenian Administration on Hydrometeorology. However, since the administration does not have a suitable ship, the concentration of polluting substances in water cannot be determined. Therefore, only the hydrometeorological parameters at water level and temperature and salinity of the water are measured. In the coastal zone some chemical parameters are determined in samples, collected on expeditions twice a year. The analysis of the samples is carried out in the central laboratory of the Center for Ecological Monitoring in Ashgabat. The laboratory is very poorly equipped in terms of instrumentation and reagents. Turkmenistan would benefit of the introduction of a national monitoring system for the quality of water, which should employ standardized procedures for sample collection and analysis, data management and data exchange with all Caspian states. The information on water quality of the Caspian is extremely insufficient, because no integrated regional monitoring system with the participation of all littoral states is in place. At the moment data on water quality of the Caspian are collected and handled by several organizations in each coastal state. Each organization has its own ways of collection and storage of data. For the improvement of monitoring, a network of stations, hydrometeorlogical ships, regional and central laboratories, equipped with modern instruments and information management systems are needed. This network will link information sources on water quality of the Caspian and facilitate water management. |
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