Modern Methods and Technical Instruments of Ecological Monitoring of the Estuaries of Small Rivers

Abstract

At present, river estuaries are constantly being explored; therefore, it is necessary to receive up-to-date information on their actual environmental condition, hydrological regime, and geographical features. Therefore, it is important to develop and improve the methods and technical instruments for monitoring river estuaries. The article presents a developed methodology for integrated research of small-river estuaries using new methods and techniques. The article discusses the experience in using modern domestic devices for solving practical problems of integrated water-environmental monitoring with a case study of expeditionary work in estuaries of the Chernaya River (Crimean Peninsula, Sevastopol). The possibilities of the following technical instruments used are described: The GAP-AK-12R CTD (MHI RAS), the Condor biophysical complex (Aquastandard), and the Garmin echo sounder, which make it possible to obtain field data on turbidity, the concentration of suspended particulate matter, speed and direction of currents, the average size of suspended particles, and salinity and temperature of the aquatic environment. The results of applying a new method for determining the flow velocity and water consumption based on video image processing are presented. Application of the developed methodology makes it possible to obtain the information necessary to analyze the hydrological regime and ecological state of small-river estuaries.