Rivers: The Arteries of the Earth

COMENIUS PROJECT TITLE:

“RIVERS, THE ARTERIES OF THE EARTH”

Co-ordinator: Dr. D. Kalaitzidis

FIELD WORK AT SPERCHIOS RIVER

Environmental Education Group: Katherine Apostolopoulou, Efi Argiri, Chrysa Arzoumanidi, Theodosia Vardalakou, Mary Diakaki, Rania Zerikioti, Spyridoula Kokaki, Mary Konstantakou, Eyangelia Makariadou, Helen Banda, Demetra Basta, Eyangelia Xifara, Despina Orestidou, Ioanna Paraskeva, Maria-Helen Sideri, Ioanna Tzafalia, Evi Tziola, Anthi Tsekoura, Nefeli Tziveleka, Elisavet Tsilali, Chrysa Frangiadaki, Vasiliki Peraki, Mary Xirakia, Sofia Spentzou, Natasa Agalioti, Anna Drosou, Katherine Zamblakou, Anastasia Karamitsiani, Sofia Karamitsiani, Chrysa Kavga, Katherine Kypreou, Evi Marolia, Amalia Ornithopoulou, Meropi Panagiotarakou, Nina Panagiotidou, Argyro Frangiadaki.

Text Translation by: Nina Panagiotidou, Nefeli Bardani, Nikitia Mexia, Natasa Bia, Maria Koutsandrea.

Translation supervisor: Evangelina Vavouraki

On Saturday the twelfth of November 2000, our environmental education team set off for its educational excursion to the river Sperchios.

This river lies in the prefecture of Fthiodida not far away from the city of Lamia. Its name comes from the verb “spercho” that means flow rapidly. Its headwater is in the mountains of Evrytania (Tymfristos) and it runs across the Lamia plain, moving eastwards and enters Maliakos Bay. It is 82 Km long and it collects 12 tributaries that flow from the mountains Oiti and Othrys. From its waters a great part of Lamia’s plain (which is considered as one of the most fertile plains of our country) is irrigated.

While our teachers Mr. D. Kalaitzidis, P. Pefanis, S. Panaretos and Mrs. K. Panagou taking the lead, we set off from our school by bus early in the morning.

We had already prepared for all the activities concerning our project so that everyone should take action from the very beginning. Besides, we were supplied with a list of data for filling in our remarks or questions. We divided into five sub-groups in order to make our job easier and have the opportunity to participate actively.

At the first point of the river where we stopped having with us Mr. Vangelis Markatselis, a geologist from the Environmental Education Center of Ypati- Stylida, we could not get near the riverbanks as they were very steep and covered with vegetation. So we did not walk up there for the fear of falling down.

On the contrary, the second point where we finally stopped was quite flat with the riverbed being over fifty meters wide. Also there was a relatively new concrete bridge and the river banks nearby were covered with boulders put in boxes of thick wire (we were told that they are called “sarazanet”). The stones were there for the protection of the banks from erosion, which might cause the collapse of the bridge. A bit farther down at the riverside there was a sheep-fold with sheep and dogs watching over.

As soon as they saw us, a swarm of children, the sheep started running away while the dogs barking. It was a little difficult for us to get down from “sarazanet” into the riverbed. However, we made it. When we got down, we divided into parties and started working.  

The party who had to measure the quality of the water with the portable chemistry lab, sat near the water and started working. With the help of Mr. Pefanis and Mr. Kalaitzidis we did the measuring for nitrates and nitrites, PH value and diluted oxygen. We found the nitrates to be under 10 mg/L which means that the quality of the water is good. We found the nitrites to be 0,2 mg/L indicating good water quality. The PH value was just as good as 7,2, indicating fine water quality. The measuring showed that the water was clear and of course because of the winter rain, the chemical substances are dissolved in a great amount of water and it is natural for the concentration of nitrates and nitrites to be low. In addition, the fertilizers could go downstream to the river. The River flow measuring party with the help of Mr. Panaretos, measured firstly the width of the river using a technique first found by the scouts, namely a wooden pole with a wooden stick screwed on the top. When someone stands at one riverbank looking at the other, fixes properly the angle of the stick. Then turning 90 degrees, on the riverbank where he stands, then he can determine and find the width of the river without getting his feet wet. At that point we fount that the river was 6,60m wide.

After that, by using the pole, we measured the depth of the river at the measurement point and on the width line and we found three different results at three different points: 19 cm, 29 cm, 50 cm. Then using a sheet of milimetre paper we calculated the surface of the river cross section at that point. So, we found that that the river was 2,16 sq.m. in area.

Then we laid down 20 meters of the riverbank where we were standing and with the aid of the chronometers we calculated how much time it took for a tennis ball to cover those 20 m. floating on the surface of the river waters. The speed of the river water was different at different points on the width line of the river. Near the bank the duration was 60 sec, in the middle of the current was 19 sec, and it was 15 sec near the opposite bank. The average water speed was about 0.82 m/sec. Afterwards, by using the formula P=SXU (P= Discharge, S= surface of the cross section, U=water speed) we found it was 1,8 cubic meters per second. Another calculation showed 0,96 c.m/sec. Of course, there is a considerable difference between these two estimations, but what really matters is the procedure more than the outcome, as our teacher told us.  

The group, which measures the river’s characteristics, recorded certain species of the flora, principally trees (plane trees, poplars, willows) and certain species of animals that we observed. Surely, we didn’t see any wild animals, since we were in inhabited areas. The mild animals we saw were sheep, goats and domesticated animals, such as cats, dogs, and chickens. Mr. Markatselis told us that many birds take to the river trees to build their nests. The riverbanks were in some places verdant, while in other ones almost bare. As we have already mentioned. Some parts had paving with cement. The trees that we mostly saw in the banks were big plane trees, which had started losing their leaves as autumn was finishing, willows – water willows, poplars and other kinds of trees and plants that need great amounts of water.

A team engaged in the uses of water could not locate pumping units in the river, because during winter cultivation is not irrigated. Nonetheless, near the village Paliouri we saw a field being watered with artificial rain for the seeds to grow fast. Besides we did not see boats, dams (either hydroelectric or irrigation) because the area, which we visited, was rather smooth and the vale of the river had great width and in such areas dams cannot be constructed. However we saw people, a young man and his father, placing a net vertically in the river in order to catch fishes. They got into the water wearing big Wellington boots, that came up to their waist and upwards so they did not get wet. They fixed the net in the one bank and then in the other and left with a view to coming back later to collect the net and the fish. We also saw a large flock of sheep coming to the river to drink water. Near the river there were many fields. Some people whom we asked told us that cereals, maize, cotton, clover, etc. are grown there. Somebody told us that kiwis are grown there as well and complained that the traders buy them for 50 drachmas per kilo (0.13 $) while they sell them for 300 (0,8$).

The team, which was responsible for the waste, located much of this mainly in the banks of the river, where it was thrown by the unprincipled, polluting both the river and the environment. Such wastes were vehicle rubbers, wrappers, plastics, old clothes, paper, metal, etc.

In the village Paliouri where our next stop was, we passed along a weird and leaning bridge, which was constructed with cement and iron. The one gatepost which supported it had such a gradient that the whole bridge leaned. It was a low one and perhaps old, though not ancient. From that bridge the view of the river was fascinating. Its banks were covered with plane trees, which had taken a red- orange color from their leaves, which were ready to fall. The water was quite calm and rather little. There we measured the diluted oxygen (D. O.) and found it satisfactory.

Our first visit to the river Sperchios came full circle in the historic village of Gorgopotamos (Quick-River), where we stopped to have a meal, before we journeyed back home.

It was an exciting excursion with interesting fieldwork and we hope to be more experienced and find more things in our second visit.  

SHEET OF DATA RECORD

Date: 12/11/2000

Weather Conditions: During the morning cloudy, and for the rest of the day sunny

Location: Fthiodida Prefecture/ Sterea Ellada/ Village Paliouri

Name of the River: Sperchios

Origin of the name:  the verb spercho=flow rapidly

Sources: Tympfristos Mountain

Tributaries: 12 (Inarchos, Ksydias, etc)

Estuaries: Maliakos Gulf

Delta: Yes

Length: 80 km

Water quality: Good

Air temperature: 18 degrees

Water temperature: 10 degrees, later 11 degrees

Altitude: 40 m

Distance from estuaries:  25 Km

Water color: colorless

Discharge: 1.7c. m./ sec

Odor: No

Human activities in the basin: Cultivations of cotton, maize, cereals. Greenhouses

Industries:  No

Irrigation: Too early for irrigation

Pumping stations: Yes

Number of pumping stations: A few

Villages along the river: Kostalexi, Meskiates, Lianokladi

The biggest one: Kostalexi

Mountains surrounding the basin: Othris, Giona, Velouchi, Tympfristos

Tree species on the banks: Plane tree. Willow, poplar, silver poplar

Animals and birds: Goats, sheep, cattle, dogs