5 Water Supply Challenges and Achievements in Constanta County
171
There have been identified 16 surface rivers with more than 10 km in length.
The 57-km-long Taita River with a basin of 591 km
2 starts as a spring that releases
water from a spot at the contact between the Pricopan Summit and the Niculitel
Plateau, at an altitude of 240 m. A length of 23 km forms the natural boundary
between the two massifs, and then through a sharp turn in the Horia village, it
chooses the shortest path to Babadag Lake. In the upper course, Taita has a narrow
basin not exceeding 20–50 m [22]. The versants have slopes of 25–30°, and dry
valleys fragment them. The valley of the Taita River extends further so that it reaches
150 m in width at Hamcearca and 300 m at Babadag Lake. The most important of
its tributaries are the creeks Alba and Taita.
Slava River has a length of 38 km and a basin surface of 356 km
2 [22]. Its lower
course and its tributary on the left, Ciucurova, are part of the corridor separating the
Babadag Plateau from Casimcea Plateau. Slava joins the Ciucurova River, near the
village of Slava Rusa.
Telita River has 48 km in length and covers 287 Km
2 . It springs close to the village
of Niculitel, from the plateau with the same name, at the altitude of 270 m. Its valley,
in the springs area, has a torrential appearance, but downstream the Telita village it
already enters the high depression of the Nalbant. The groundwater in the bottom of
the valley is close to the surface (1–5 m), which causes Telita to receive a permanent,
but very low, underground feed [22].
Casimcea River has a well-developed basin area in the southern part of the Casimcea Plateau with tributaries that head to the Pantelimon Depression. After leaving
the springs, its course forms the boundary between North Dobrogea and Tortoman’s
Plateau and flows into Lake Tasaul. Casimcea springs from a high plateau, at the
altitude of 309 m. The length of the river is 69 km, and the surface of the basin is
740 km
2 [22]. After a torrential sector of about 10 km, the river enters the contact area
between the Jurassic limestones and the old Caledonian massif of Pantelimon. Here
it receives some tributaries, mainly developed to the right, such as the Dereaua Mare,
Pantelimon, Valea Seaca and Gura Dobrogei, and to the left Ramnicul and Gradina
Mucova. Floods occur suddenly with torrential rains reaching the maximum level
in approx. 1–2 h, then drop somewhat slower in 6–12 h. Only 85% of these water
bodies are moderately from the ecological viewpoint, and the rest of 15% are in poor
ecological condition [22].
The hydrographic network of the Constanta County is divided into two distinct
units: the Danubian group and the maritime group.
The rivers in the Danubian group drain the western part of the county, most of
them ending with fluvial limes. Among them, we may mention Topologu and Carasu.
The rivers in the maritime group drain the eastern part of the county. The most
important of these is Casimcea.
Constanta County has a poor river network whose average density is below
0.1 km/km
2 . All rivers have very steep slopes in the springs, after which the slopes
swiftly decrease, with the major riverbed becoming very wide.
The specific multiannual average flows are below 1 l/s-km
2 , somewhat higher
being only in the Casimcea and Topologu River springs. Multiannual average flows
are relatively small compared to the size of the basin surface.
171
There have been identified 16 surface rivers with more than 10 km in length.
The 57-km-long Taita River with a basin of 591 km
2 starts as a spring that releases
water from a spot at the contact between the Pricopan Summit and the Niculitel
Plateau, at an altitude of 240 m. A length of 23 km forms the natural boundary
between the two massifs, and then through a sharp turn in the Horia village, it
chooses the shortest path to Babadag Lake. In the upper course, Taita has a narrow
basin not exceeding 20–50 m [22]. The versants have slopes of 25–30°, and dry
valleys fragment them. The valley of the Taita River extends further so that it reaches
150 m in width at Hamcearca and 300 m at Babadag Lake. The most important of
its tributaries are the creeks Alba and Taita.
Slava River has a length of 38 km and a basin surface of 356 km
2 [22]. Its lower
course and its tributary on the left, Ciucurova, are part of the corridor separating the
Babadag Plateau from Casimcea Plateau. Slava joins the Ciucurova River, near the
village of Slava Rusa.
Telita River has 48 km in length and covers 287 Km
2 . It springs close to the village
of Niculitel, from the plateau with the same name, at the altitude of 270 m. Its valley,
in the springs area, has a torrential appearance, but downstream the Telita village it
already enters the high depression of the Nalbant. The groundwater in the bottom of
the valley is close to the surface (1–5 m), which causes Telita to receive a permanent,
but very low, underground feed [22].
Casimcea River has a well-developed basin area in the southern part of the Casimcea Plateau with tributaries that head to the Pantelimon Depression. After leaving
the springs, its course forms the boundary between North Dobrogea and Tortoman’s
Plateau and flows into Lake Tasaul. Casimcea springs from a high plateau, at the
altitude of 309 m. The length of the river is 69 km, and the surface of the basin is
740 km
2 [22]. After a torrential sector of about 10 km, the river enters the contact area
between the Jurassic limestones and the old Caledonian massif of Pantelimon. Here
it receives some tributaries, mainly developed to the right, such as the Dereaua Mare,
Pantelimon, Valea Seaca and Gura Dobrogei, and to the left Ramnicul and Gradina
Mucova. Floods occur suddenly with torrential rains reaching the maximum level
in approx. 1–2 h, then drop somewhat slower in 6–12 h. Only 85% of these water
bodies are moderately from the ecological viewpoint, and the rest of 15% are in poor
ecological condition [22].
The hydrographic network of the Constanta County is divided into two distinct
units: the Danubian group and the maritime group.
The rivers in the Danubian group drain the western part of the county, most of
them ending with fluvial limes. Among them, we may mention Topologu and Carasu.
The rivers in the maritime group drain the eastern part of the county. The most
important of these is Casimcea.
Constanta County has a poor river network whose average density is below
0.1 km/km
2 . All rivers have very steep slopes in the springs, after which the slopes
swiftly decrease, with the major riverbed becoming very wide.
The specific multiannual average flows are below 1 l/s-km
2 , somewhat higher
being only in the Casimcea and Topologu River springs. Multiannual average flows
are relatively small compared to the size of the basin surface.