The Upper Tisa Valley. Preparatory proposal for Ramsay

a flow of 1.5 m 3 /s to the Strâmturi, or the Frizia reservoir on which the towns of Baia
Mare and Sighetu Marmaţiei, further the villages in the Mara Valley will rely for their
water supply. The reservoir will serve also flood control purposes and after the
completion of the two underground power stations Runcu and Frizia will generate 28
mW of power.
Săpânţa Creek is the third left hand tributary of the Upper Tisa. At a length of
20 km she drains a 135 km 2 large catchment with a mean flow of 3.80 m 3 /s. The valley
of 15 m/km average slope is cut into andesite rock.
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Water uses
Water to the towns Borşa, Vişeude Jos and Sighetu Marmaţiei is supplied from
groundwater resources, withdrawn from 9-12 m deep wells and springs at the rate of 0
363 m 3 /s, of which 0.190 m 3 /s are used for domestic purposes. The present demands
are met, but assuming economic growth over a longer period this supply will prove
inadequate. Water distribution networks have already being built in the villages
Budeşti, Čalineşti, Ocna Şugatag, Dragomireşti, Săcel and Sâliştee de Sus, in other
communities piped water projects are under construction or in the planning stage.
However, in the majority of the communities water is still obtained from wells and
springs.
Water quality is generally high along the headwater, mountain sections of the
streams, deteriorating gradually to acceptable farther downstream. Zinc of natural
origin in elevated concentration was observed on some stream sections.
The non ferrous metal ore mines at Baia Borşa, further the towns Borşa,
Vişeude Sus and Sighetu Marmaţiei are the major sources of pollution. The
wastewater treatment plants at these communities were built with mechanical and
biological stages of the necessary capacity, but the removal efficiency is poor and
should be improved by more careful operation. The mine drainage waters from the non
ferrous ore mines at Baia Borşa , situated in the catchment of the Cisla stream are
discharged over three settling ponds without any further treatment to the recipient. The
villages are unsewered and have no sewage treatment facilities.
The Tur/Túr catchment
The 1 261 km 2 large catchment is bounded on the northern side by Tisa
catchment, on the souther side by the catchment of the River Someş/Szamos. Of the
total catchment area the share of Romania is 944 km 2 (75%), that of Hungary 317 km 2
(25%).