NATURA MONTENEGRINA, Podgorica, 9(3):833-842 EVALUATION OF SOME LAKES IN DUMRE-DARSIA PLATEAU FROM THE COLIFORM POLLUTION POINT OF VIEW Sotir MALI 1 , Spase SHUMKA 2 , Lulezim SHUKA 3 , Arefi CAKE 1 , Naxhije HILA 1 , Ariola DEVOLLI 1 1 University ”Aleksander Xhuvani” Elbasan, Albania, e-mail: sotirmali@hotmail.com 2 Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania. 3 University of Tirana, Albania. Key words: ecosystem, Dumre-Darsia plateau, coliform bacteria, wastewater, coliform pollution. SYNOPSIS The aim of this paper is to present the evaluation of some lakes in Dumre-Darsia plateau based on some bacteriological and physic-chemical data. These data, registered during the summers of the years 2007, 2008 and 2009 clearly show a very high coliform pollution level in Belshi Lake and a tendency on the increase of this level in both, Belshi and Merhoja lake. INTRODUCTION Belshi and Merhoja Lake are two of 80 natural lakes situated in Dumre-Darsia plateau in the district of Elbasan. They are typical carstic lake. Belshi Lake is in the height of 160 m above the sea level and has a surface about 29,6 ha and a deepness of 7 meters. whereas Merhoja Lake is in the height 118 m above the sea level and has a surface of 65.5 ha and a deepness of 61 m. (Pano et al., 1985). Both these two lakes are used by the habitants around them and tourists for fishing, swimming and irrigation. Belshi town is situated around the Belshi Lake and has a population around 4 thousand habitants. The big demographic changes are happening these two last decades around Belshi area which are following by a number increase of private and public buildings. But unfortunately this process is carried out without any criteria, followed by major damage of the vegetation around the lakeshore, continuous discharge of the wastewater and other remains into the lake in the conditions of a total absence of a managing system of treatment. During the year 2009 some good actions are carried out on the management on some parts of the area around the Belshi Lake which were absent during 2008 and 2007. A totally different situation exists around the Merhoja Lake. Some new private houses are built around 200 m far from the lakeshore.