ANALYSIS OF LOW WATER FLOW IN SLOVENIAN RIVERS IN 2003

Abstract

A drought has been recorded from the year 2000 onwards. The precipitation deficit has resulted in low water flow levels in Slovenian rivers since that period, especially in the year 2003. The mean values of discharges were recorded in January. In the months up to September, low water flows were recorded. The amount of precipitation was below the average precipitation for the period 1971-2000. Minimum discharges were recorded at the end of July and August. These values were close to the periodic minimums. The cycle of low water flows in the central and southern parts of Slovenia was about every 10 years. The low water flow cycle on the Ščavnica, Pesnica, Savinja, Sotla and lower Sava rivers was between every 20 and 50 years and on others between every 2 and 5 years. The shortage of water was the greatest in southern, eastern and northeastern Slovenia. Beside low water flows, high water temperatures were recorded in the summer months. The year 2003 was similar to the year 1993 which has been the driest year in the last forty years.