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Sakarya River with a length of 824 km is one of the most important lothic ecosystems of Turkey. Sarıyar, Gökçekaya and Yenice Dams were constructed on the Sararya River for the purpose of electric supply and utility water for agricultural and fishery activities. In this study, sediment samples were collected from 14 stations selected on areas seasonally (2015–2016). Also, cyprinidae species (Carassius gibelio (Bloch, 1782), Capoeta baliki Turan, Kottelat, Ekmekçi & Imamoglu 2006) were caught from Dam Lakes and Sakarya River. Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb levels in sediment samples and in tissues (liver, gill and muscle) of fish were analyzed in samples by Analytic Jena ContrAA 700 (high-resolution continuum source atomic absorption spectrometer). The data observed were evaluated with national and international quality criteria. According to the data in the study results, heavy metal accumulations in the gill and liver of fish were determined higher than muscle. Zn levels in muscle of C. gibelio caught from Yenice Dam Lake were higher than the permissible limit stated by Turkish legislation and FAO. Also, Cr and Ni levels in sediment samples especially during rainy seasons were higher to dry seasons and Cr and Ni levels were detected higher than sediment quality guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecological status of Hout River Dam was evaluated in 2011 by assessing fish health, based on condition factor (K), health assessment index (HAI) and inverted parasite index (IPI), which provided a simple and rapid means of establishing the health of fish. Surveys were conducted during summer, winter and spring 2011. To verify results, water quality was analysed during each survey.Clarias gariepinus,Oreochromis mossambicusandCyprinus carpiowere collected using conventional angling gear and gillnets. MeanKvalues of 0.6, 2.0 and 1.4, and HAI scores of 38, 41 and 35, were recorded for each species, respectively. The metrics that correlated best with fish health scores were haematocrit values and ecto- and endoparasite indices. Differences inK, HAI, and HAI using IPI determinations, were insignificant (p> 0.05) between species, while water contaminants, with the exception of ammonium (NH4), nitrate (NO3) and aluminium (Al) concentrations in summer, fell within the levels stipulated by the South African target water quality range guidelines for aquatic ecosystems. It was thus inferred that the dam was in a good ecological state. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]