FRESENIUS ENVIRONMENTAL BULLETIN, cilt.23, sa.2, ss.478-488, 2014 (SCI-Expanded)
Water, as one of the crucial resources for the sustainability of vital activities of humans, is under a big pressure in the global context due to water scarcity, global warming and intense anthropogenic effects. In consequence of those changes on the environmental conditions, water resource management becomes crucial for the sustainability of human life. In this context, the paper focused on the Karasu River in Turkey, as one of the main tributaries of Euphrates crossing many provinces of Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. It has an international importance due to its geographical settings and is needed to be protected for the health and life of people living in those regions. Using this general information, the research on Karasu River has been designated to investigate and define anthropogenic factors effective on the pollution of the river in Erzurum Plain. This paper concluded with the proposal focused on alternative approaches for reducing levels of pollution.