An Analysis of Sediment Quality from the Perspective of Land Use in the Catchment and Pond Management

The text of this contribution provides a comprehensive summary of the issue of sedimentation. In the descriptive part of the paper, the issue of pond sedimentation is analyzed from both the quantitative and the qualitative point of view. The experimental part is subsequently focused on the quality of pond sediment. Detailed attention is given to land use and the quality of soil on adjacent agricultural land and their influence on sediment quality. The paper is unique in providing detailed monitoring of sediments and adjacent agricultural land at a selected pilot location, which is characterized by intensive agricultural use and by the presence of numerous water bodies (ponds used for semi-intensive fish breeding). The paper presents in detail results obtained from a laboratory analysis, especially concerning contamination by risk elements and foreign substances. Laboratory results are further compared against Czech legislation dealing with the reapplication of sediments on agricultural land. Lastly, the paper deals with the nutrient potential of sediments and with the potential impacts of their application on agricultural land.