Author(s)

S. Bublaku, A. Beqiraj

Abstract

This paper aims to evaluate the water balance for Badovc Lake, Kosovo based on the hydrological monitoring made in the period 2013–2014. The recent bathymetric data showed that the current maximum volume (corresponding to height of 649.75 asl) of the lake is 25,590,000 m³, being 1,000,000 m³ less than the initial volume due to the sedimentation on the lake bottom. The average annual rainfall in the dam was 860.7 mm being higher than its historical value (642.0 mm). The overall water inflow into the lake was 22,577,663 m³. The calculations of the evaporation rates showed that the annual amount of evaporation from the lake surface was 849,535 m³ or 644.50 mm. During the dam design an annual infiltration rate of 94,608 m³ from the clay screen was assessed. Data on water intake showed that a quantity of 10,550,615 m³ was abstracted from the lake during 2014. Considering the above cited inflow and outflow quantities (22,577,663 m³ 11,494,758 m³, respectively), a residual water volume of 11,082,905 was evaluated. On the other hand, the positive volume of the lake in 2014, calculated according to water level variations, was 7,344,000 m³. A difference of 3,682,905 m³ between the above water volumes may be considered as “water loss” from the lake. This amount of water represents around 17% of the total volume of lake, or around 35% of its current water abstraction. The hydrologic balance of the lake watershed will further clarify the factors that are responsible for this “water loose” from the lake. In addition, the results of this study will help the authorities to better manage the water intake.

Keywords

lake water balance, annual rainfall, water inflow and outflow, water runoff, evaporation and infiltration