The hydroecological state of small rivers of Syrtovoye Zavolzhye during the summer low water

The hydroecological state of eight small rivers in the basin of the lower Volga (tributaries of the Samara and Chapaevka rivers) in the Syrtovoye Zavolzhye area during the summer low water was studied. Rivers are characterized by episodic run-off, monotony of biotopes and siltation of river beds. The rivers sediments are represented mainly by coarse- and fine-grained dust particles. The mineralization of the rivers water is high, at some sites it reaches the level of brackish water. The taxonomic diversity of macrozoobenthos is due to the development of eurybiont species. The proportion of oligochaetes increases with increasing mineralization of water. According to macrozoobenthos indices the quality of rivers water is “low” and “bad”.