Quality of water and water touring on selected West Bohemia rivers

3 Abstract Title: Quality of water and water touring on selected West Bohemia rivers Aim: The main aim of the thesis was to find out if there are changes of water quality in the most significant West Bohemia rivers as a result of the changing approach to our environment in the past several years. Furthermore, to consider whether the water quality has changed in relation to finished water management projects and whether this change influenced using rivers for water touring. The observed rivers: Úhlava, Úslava, Radbuza, Mže, Berounka and Střela. Methods: The first part of the thesis, discussing the water quality, analyzes available data collected from written and electronic resources and discussions with experts. The gained material mostly within the last 10 years was organized, compared and summarized. The second part brings the evaluation by canoeists who regularly canoe down these rivers and can visually judge the water quality. This information was interpreted from semi- structured interviews with canoeists. Results: Our presumption that the water quality on the selected West Bohemia rivers is improving was proved, which is one of basic conditions for water touring as well. Keywords: West Bohemia rivers, water touring, water quality, pollutio