IMPACT OF WATER QUALITY ON WATER BASED ACTIVITIES IN HORNAD RIVER BASIN

References: 17th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2017, www.sgem.org, SGEM2017 Conference Proceedings, ISBN 978-619-7408-09-6 / ISSN 1314-2704, 29 June - 5 July, 2017, Vol. 17, Issue 52, 507-514 pp, DOI: 10.5593/sgem2017/52/S20.065

ABSTRACT

River, dam, and lake banks are often attractive as a holiday destination for both domestic and overseas visitors. Therefore, different water based activities including water sports centres, as well as walking and cycling routes adjacent to water bodies require clean and environmentally green water. The places of greatest tourism significance need to be determined and their vulnerability to water quality is indisputable. It is in close connection to the pollution of water. Nowadays, the number of polluters of the Hornád River is decreasing but there are still certain residues from the past including environmental loads. The main objective of this study was to identify the tourism potential of the Hornád River in order to advocate the protection of water from harmful and potentially polluting activity in the surrounding of the river. The water quality in different points of the river was evaluated depending on the nearby industrial and in close connection to the adjacent water based activities. Based on the results, the water quality is improving and is at a good level. No significance of the influence of water quality was noticed on the water based tourism activities.

Keywords: water based activities, Hornád River, pollution, tourism