MINERALIZATION OF RIVER WATERS IN GORNY-ALTAI AND ITS SPATIAL AND SEASONAL VARIABILITY

Abstract

Judging from the rate of total mineralization of natural waters, it is possible to rather quickly and easily estimate the degree of variability of indicators of their chemical composition. In the presented work, the greatest attention is paid to the consideration of this indicator. Changes in the mineralization of waters in Gorny Altai depend on many factors, some of which are determined by geographical conditions of the environment. In Gorny Altai these conditions are very diverse. The elevation above sea level varies from 250 to 4,500 m. Watersheds rise over the bottoms of river valleys and hollows from 200 up to 1,000 meters and more. All characteristics of the chemical composition of river waters are within the limits close to background values. The results of the research reflect the general tendency of gradual increase in general mineralization downstream in the rivers. In the majority of river basins in Gorny Altai, the mineralization of waters is higher in winter than in summer. However, there are basins where seasonal dynamics have the opposite tendency. The increase in mineralization in the river basins near the settlements is of great concern to the authors.

Keywords

• Mountainous country
• natural water
• mineralization
• variability of chemical composition of natural waters