Overview of surface water quality monitoring status in the frame of eu water framework directive requirement in some albanian rivers

This paper first reviews the principal monitoring requirements of the WFD and discusses the monitoring network for diffuse pollution in Albania in the context of implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). Considerations on water quality of surface waters from main Albanian rivers based on ecological and chemicals indicators are reported. Quality measurement are essential to demonstrate the comparability of obtained data and they form the basis for correct decisions related to management of water resources. The existing surface water quality monitoring network provides only restricted information to select between different management options when implementing river basin management plans (RBMP) under the WFD. We then clearly define and exemplify the roles, the functions and the need for a new set of monitoring tools support of implementing the WFD, using the case studies based on datasets that we obtained during recurrent monitoring campaigns in the Rivers Ishmi, Erzeni, Shkumbini and Mati.