4 Management of Surfaces Water Resources—Ecological Status …
151
4.4.1 General Presentation of the Mure¸ s Basin
The Mure¸ s River basin is located in the central and western part of Romania; it
borders the Cris , and Somes , river basins to the north, the Banat hydrographic and the
Jiu and Olt river basins area to the south, the Siret hydrographic basin to the west,
and the Hungarian border to the east. The Mures , River Basin is located in the area
delimited by the Eastern, Southern and Western Carpathians, and its lower sector is
located in the center of the Tisa Plain.
The Mures , River Basin covers all relief forms. Relief varies with the diversity of
forms, and the altitude has values between 80 m (minimal altitude—where the river
exits of the country in the Western Plain) and 2509 m (maximal altitude in the Retezat
Mountains). Hills and plateaus occupy 55% of the area of the basin, the mountains
are 25% the difference being in plains, valleys, and meadows [45, 46].
The total catchment area (including the Ier channel) is 28,310 km
2 representing 11.7% of the country’s surface. The total surface water resources in the Mure¸ s
basin area total approx. 5876.3 million m
3 /year, out of which usable resources are
approx. 1054.07 million m
3 /year. They represent approx. 88.9% of the total resources
and are formed mainly by the rivers Mure¸ s, Târnave, Arie¸ s, Strei, Cerna and their
tributaries [47].
From a climatic point of view, the Mure¸ s basin is characterized by continentalmoderate climate with hot summers and long and cold winters, especially in the
mountain areas in the northeast of the basin, and in the west the climate is arid, the
summers being in generally drier and warmer.
The large variety of the natural environment allowed the designation of a large
number of protected areas within the Mure¸ s basin. Thus, there are 2 national parks, 5
natural parks, 71 special conservation areas, 19 avifauna special protection areas and
147 reserves included in the Register of Protected Areas, which is an integral part of
the river basin management plan. These protected areas amount to 9833.04 Km
2 and
represent about 35% of the surface of the Mure¸ s basin. Most of the areas are located
in the mountain and hill areas, on the upper courses of the rivers Mures , , Gurghiu,
Arie¸ s, Strei, Mare, and Geoagiu.
From an administrative point of view, the Mure¸ s river basin comprises the Mure¸ s
and Alba counties, parts of the counties of Harghita, Sibiu, Cluj, Hunedoara, Arad,
Timi¸ s and small areas from the counties of Bra¸ sov, Bistri¸ ta-N˘ as˘ aud, Cara¸ s-Severin.
The Mures , River Basin is located in the West Development Region (25.19%), North
West (4.69%) and Center (54.03%). At the level of the entire river basin, there are
16 municipalities, 23 towns, 303 communes and 1780 villages [43, 48].
In the following, we refer to elements describing only the Upper Mure¸ s sector,
because this is the area covered by this study, namely: the water-course/body Mure¸ s—
Petrilaca confluence—confluence Arie¸ s, with sections Tîrgu Mure¸ s, Ungheni/Mure¸ s
and Iernut (Fig. 4.2a and b).
The Upper Mure¸ s River, between Izvoare and the Toplit , a-Deda Gorge, is situated
in a neo-volcanic area (Oa¸ s, Gutâi, V˘ aratec in the north and C˘ alimani, Gurghiu,
151
4.4.1 General Presentation of the Mure¸ s Basin
The Mure¸ s River basin is located in the central and western part of Romania; it
borders the Cris , and Somes , river basins to the north, the Banat hydrographic and the
Jiu and Olt river basins area to the south, the Siret hydrographic basin to the west,
and the Hungarian border to the east. The Mures , River Basin is located in the area
delimited by the Eastern, Southern and Western Carpathians, and its lower sector is
located in the center of the Tisa Plain.
The Mures , River Basin covers all relief forms. Relief varies with the diversity of
forms, and the altitude has values between 80 m (minimal altitude—where the river
exits of the country in the Western Plain) and 2509 m (maximal altitude in the Retezat
Mountains). Hills and plateaus occupy 55% of the area of the basin, the mountains
are 25% the difference being in plains, valleys, and meadows [45, 46].
The total catchment area (including the Ier channel) is 28,310 km
2 representing 11.7% of the country’s surface. The total surface water resources in the Mure¸ s
basin area total approx. 5876.3 million m
3 /year, out of which usable resources are
approx. 1054.07 million m
3 /year. They represent approx. 88.9% of the total resources
and are formed mainly by the rivers Mure¸ s, Târnave, Arie¸ s, Strei, Cerna and their
tributaries [47].
From a climatic point of view, the Mure¸ s basin is characterized by continentalmoderate climate with hot summers and long and cold winters, especially in the
mountain areas in the northeast of the basin, and in the west the climate is arid, the
summers being in generally drier and warmer.
The large variety of the natural environment allowed the designation of a large
number of protected areas within the Mure¸ s basin. Thus, there are 2 national parks, 5
natural parks, 71 special conservation areas, 19 avifauna special protection areas and
147 reserves included in the Register of Protected Areas, which is an integral part of
the river basin management plan. These protected areas amount to 9833.04 Km
2 and
represent about 35% of the surface of the Mure¸ s basin. Most of the areas are located
in the mountain and hill areas, on the upper courses of the rivers Mures , , Gurghiu,
Arie¸ s, Strei, Mare, and Geoagiu.
From an administrative point of view, the Mure¸ s river basin comprises the Mure¸ s
and Alba counties, parts of the counties of Harghita, Sibiu, Cluj, Hunedoara, Arad,
Timi¸ s and small areas from the counties of Bra¸ sov, Bistri¸ ta-N˘ as˘ aud, Cara¸ s-Severin.
The Mures , River Basin is located in the West Development Region (25.19%), North
West (4.69%) and Center (54.03%). At the level of the entire river basin, there are
16 municipalities, 23 towns, 303 communes and 1780 villages [43, 48].
In the following, we refer to elements describing only the Upper Mure¸ s sector,
because this is the area covered by this study, namely: the water-course/body Mure¸ s—
Petrilaca confluence—confluence Arie¸ s, with sections Tîrgu Mure¸ s, Ungheni/Mure¸ s
and Iernut (Fig. 4.2a and b).
The Upper Mure¸ s River, between Izvoare and the Toplit , a-Deda Gorge, is situated
in a neo-volcanic area (Oa¸ s, Gutâi, V˘ aratec in the north and C˘ alimani, Gurghiu,