Water transparency was minimal at station 1 (S. Giuliano)
and at station 5 (Palude);
this was attributed respectively to freshwater inputs and intense shipping
movement which cause resuspension of bottom sediments
(st. 1) and to draining caused by tides on
boundary shoals (st. 5).
Maximum transparency was
found at coastal station 4 (Lido; Table 1). The influence
of warm wastewater was observed at station 3 (Fusina),
due to the proximity of the thermo-electric power plant,
and station 2 (Marghera), located along the same main
channel (Table 1).
As regards salinity, diluted waters
were found mainly at S. Giuliano, Fusina and Palude,
due to the presence of freshwater channels draining
water from inland (Table 1).
Lido and Marghera had
typically marine-coastal salinity value (respective averages
¼32.8 and 29.2 PSU, with a range of 22.6–36.2
PSU).