The Celone River Basin (Puglia, Italy) is character-ized by a diffuse pollution from agricultural sources. Like most intermittent rivers in the Mediterranean area, this stream is not well monitored; only few water quality data are available. Thus, due to high variability in streamflow and nutrient concentrations, which characterizes this type of rivers, it is difficult to estimate accurately nutrient loads from point and non point sources and consequently an-thropogenic activities impact on the river. In this work, a detailed study was carried out on the Celone river to iden-tify the chemical characteristics of the water and to quan-tify the annual nutrient loads delivered to the downstream reservoir. An automatic sampler and a flow module were set up in a section of the river. Continuous measures of flow were carried out using a different frequency for water sampling when floods occurred and during normal or low flow state. Nutrient concentrations in the water samples were accurately determined in laboratory. Water quality of the river was found to vary considerably along the year in terms of nutrient concentration. Nitrate and total phos-phorus are the main cause of water pollution. Nutrient losses by surface runoff were essentially a winter process. The contribution per hectare of non point sources can be estimate at about 39 kg/ha of total nitrogen and 2.4 kg/ha of total phosphorus. Estimates of loads in terms of TN and TP for the 21-day period of flood were calculated in 55 and 81% of annual loads, respectively. This study clearly demonstrates the importance of flood event con-tribution to the annual nutrient load.