THE DANUBE RIVER BASIN the most international basin in the world
Hydromorphology in the Danube River Basin...Hydromorphological situation in the Danube River Basin...
Transcript of Hydromorphology in the Danube River Basin...Hydromorphological situation in the Danube River Basin...
Hydromorphology in the Danube River Basin
Workshop on Transboundary Water Resources Management in Western and Central Europe
8-10 February 2011, Budapest, HU
Raimund MAIR, ICPDR
Technical Expert on River Basin Management
� General information ICPDR
� EU WFD and Danube River Basin Management Plan
� Hydromorphological situation in the Danube River Basin
and Joint Programme of Measures (JPM)
� Integration with other sectors
� Summary & conclusions
Content
From Black Forest to Black Sea
ICPDRInternational Commissionfor the Protection of the Danube River
� ICPDR established on the Danube River Protection Convention (signed 1994) – legal frame for cooperation
� Mandate to ensure conservation, improvement and rational use of surface waters and ground water
� Reduce inputs of nutrients and hazardous substances
� Control floods and ice hazards
� Reduce pollution loads to the Black Sea
Since 2000 the ICPDR is the coordinating body for i mplementing the EU Water Framework Directive in the Danube Rive r Basin
Germany
Austria
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Hungary
Slovenia
Croatia
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Serbia
Montenegro
Romania
Bulgaria
Rep. of Moldova
Ukraine
European Union
ICPDRContracting Parties
– EU Member States (8)
– Non-EU Member States (6)
Implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) in the Danube River Basin
� Implementation of Directive is legal requirement for the 8 EU Member States
� Political commitment from the non-EU Member Statesto make all efforts to achieve a coordinated River Basin Management Plan
Result: Adoption of the 1st Danube River Basin District Management Plan (DRBMP) end 2009
ICPDR and theEU Water Framework Directive
2004 Article 5 Reports according to the WFD
� Hydromorphological alterations have been identified as
significant water management issues all over Europe
� Heavily Modified Water Bodies have been designated
on a provisional basis in high percentage
HYMO alterations in focus of RBM Plans 2009 beside ‘traditional’ pollution parameters
Hydromorphological Alterations
HYMO Alterations are human pressures to the natural
structure of surface waters such as modification of bank structures,
sediment/habitat composition, discharge regime,
gradient and slope.
The consequence of these pressures can impact aquatic
ecological fauna and flora and can hence significantly impact the
water status.
What are HYMO Alterations?
Natural Driver/Pressure HYMO alteration
Overlapping Pressures
River & habitat continuity interruption
Wetland/floodplain disconnection
Bank reinforcement
Alteration of river course and channelization
Alteration of hydraulic/hydrological characteristic s
Flood DefenceHydropower
GenerationNavigation
DR
IVE
R
Wetland reconnectionWetland reduction
Bed stabilisationDeepening river bed
Sidearm disconnection
River & habitat continuity interruption
Alteration of sediment transport
PO
SS
IBL
E P
RE
SS
UR
ES
Which Driver - Which Pressures?
Hydromorphological Alterations
Drivers
Hydropower generationNavigation Flood defenceWater supply
Other Drivers
RecreationUrban planningAgriculture
Key Drivers
Significant Water Management Issues
HYMO alterations
HydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalAlterationsAlterationsAlterationsAlterations Future Infrastructure Projects
River and Habitat Continuity Interruptions
Disconnection of Adjacent Wetlands/Floodplains
Hydrological Alterations
Organic Pollution
Nutrient Pollution
Hazardous Substances Pollution
Danube River BasinManagement Plan (DRBMP)
� WFD requirement; Management Plan
adopted end 2009
� Assessment of situation on basin-
wide scale
� Addressing the 4 Significant Water
Management Issues (Organic-,
Nutrient-, Hazardous Substances
Pollution and Hydromorphology )
� Joint Programme of Measures
Danube River Basin Management PlanKEY RESULTS HydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalHydromorphological
AlterationsAlterationsAlterationsAlterations
Danube River Basin Management Plan
HYMO alterations
Designation of Heavily Modified (HMWB) and Artificial Water Bodies (AWB)
Heavily Modified Water Body (HMWB):
“body of surface water which as a result of physical alterationsby human activity is substantially changed in character”
Artificial Water Body (AWB):
“body of surface water created by human activity”
For the Danube River
Agreement on harmonised procedure and specific criteria for final HMWB designation in the frame of the ICPDR (designation for HR, RS and UA is provisional):
� Significantly physically altered – change of character
� Failure to achieve ‘good ecological status’
Share of natural water bodies, HMWB and AWB in the Danube River Basin (catchment areas > 4,000 km 2)
In relation to total length of river water bodies
� 47% (provisional) natural
� 40% final or provisional HMWB
� 4% AWB
� 9% no designation HMWBs, AWBs and natural water bodies indicated as length (km) and relation to total
length of river water bodies (Danube and tributaries > 4,000 km2).
Ecological status & ecological potential in the Danube River Basin (catchment areas > 4,000 km 2)
Ecological status and ecological potential for river water bodies in the DRBD indicated as length (km)
and relation to total length of river water bodies (Danube and tributaries > 4,000 km2).
In relation to total length of river water bodies
� 22% ecological status/potential good or above
� 53% ecological status/potential moderate or worse
� 25% no data
Joint Programme of Measures� Significant share of water bodies (provisionally)
designated as “heavily modified water bodies” -substantially changed in character
� Significant share of water bodies not in good ecological status/potential, thus in need for actions (not only on hydromorphology) to achieve WFD objectives
� Agreement on “Joint Programme of Measures ”(JPM) as part of the Danube River Basin Management Plan
DRBMP
Visions & Management Objectives
River and Habitat
Continuity Interruptions
Anthropogenic barriers and habitat deficits do not hinder fish migration and
spawning anymore – sturgeon species and specified other migratory
species are able to access the Danube River and relevant tributaries.
Sturgeon species and specified other migratory species are represented
with self-sustaining populations in the DRBD according to their historical
distribution.
HydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalAlterationsAlterationsAlterationsAlterations
River and Habitat Continuity Interruptions
River and Habitat Continuity Interruptions 2015(expected improvements) extracted zoomed map version
HydromorphologicalAlterations
River and Habitat Continuity Interruptions
� 932 barriers for fish migration in the Danube River Basin
� 108 migration aids to be constructed by 2015
� Remaining continuity interruptions to be addressed by 2021/2027
� Perform feasibility study on the re-opening of the Iron Gate Dams
� Achieve the WFD environmental objectives in an ecologically effective way : initial measures should focus on the defined ecological priority river stretches
HydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalAlterationsAlterationsAlterationsAlterations
Ecological prioritisation approach for basin-wide measures on river continuity
� Classification of fish regions in DRB
� List and map of key migration routes
of medium and long distance migratory
fish species
� Development of prioritisation index
for measures based on agreed criteria
� Map illustrating prioritisation index and
therefore measure priority
Danube Salmon
Danube Sturgeon
Priority: Free migration in the Danube River and the direct connection of tributaries
Ecological prioritisation regarding restoration measures
for river and habitat continuity
DRBMP
Visions & Management Objectives
Disconnection of adjacent
floodplains / wetlands
The ICPDR’s basin-wide vision is that floodplains/wetlands in the
entire DRBD are re-connected and restored. The integrated
function of these riverine systems ensure the development of self-
sustaining aquatic populations, flood protection and reduction of
pollution in the DRBD.
HydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalAlterationsAlterationsAlterationsAlterations
Disconnection Wetlands/Floodplains
� 612,745 ha of wetlands/floodplains with reconnection potential
� 62,300 ha reconnected and/or the hydrological regime improved by 2015
� Difficult to indicate currently the effect of measures on basin-wide scale
DRBMP
Visions & Management Objectives
Hydrological alterations
The ICPDR’s basin-wide vision for hydrological alterations is
that they are managed in such a way, that the aquatic
ecosystem is not influenced in its natural development and
distribution.
HydromorphologicalAlterations
Hydrological Alterations
Hydrological alterations:
Impoundments, water abstractions, hydro-peaking
HydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalAlterationsAlterationsAlterationsAlterations
Hydrological Alterations
� 697 hydrological alterations in the Danube River Basin
� Measures will be taken to improve the ecological
status/potential of water bodies impacted by significant
hydrological alterations on the basin-wide scale
� Remaining hydrological alterations will be addressed by
2021/2027
� Difficult to indicate currently the effect of measures on
basin-wide scale
DRBMP
Visions & Management Objectives
Future infrastructure projects
The ICPDR’s basin-wide vision for future infrastructure projects is that they are conducted in a transparent way using best environmental practices and best available techniques in the entire DRBD – impacts on or deterioration of the good status and negative transboundary effects are fully prevented, mitigated or compensated.
HydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalAlterationsAlterationsAlterationsAlterations
Future Infrastructure Projects
� Future Infrastructure Projects (FIPs) can impact and deteriorate the water status
� Main share of reported projects dedicated to navigation and flood protection
� Rest: hydropower generation, water supply and other purposes
� 91 FIPs expected to have negative transboundary effects on other water bodies
� 87 FIPs expected to provoke deterioration of water status
HydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalHydromorphologicalAlterationsAlterationsAlterationsAlterations
How to prevent deterioration through FIPs in future?
� Performance of sound SEAs and
EIAs
� Fulfilment of WFD Article 4(7)
� Application of best environmental
practices (BEP) and best available
techniques (BAT )
� Ensure integrated planning
approaches for achievement of FIP
and environmental objectives
Integration
NEW INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
� Particular importance that environmental requirementsare considered as integral part of planning and implementation process
� Process already ongoing with NAVIGATION sector to reduce and prevent negative effects from projects and maintenance works (Joint Statement and Platina Manual)
� Similar process launched for HYDROPOWER
� Inter-linkages WFD and implementation EUROPEAN FLOODS DIRECTIVE
Guiding Principles for the Development of Inland Navigation and Environmental Protection in the Danube River Basin
NAVIGATIONJoint Statementand Platina Manual
Manual on Good Practices in Sustainable Waterway Planning (Platina Manual)http://www.naiades.info/platina/downloads
EU Danube Strategy
Communication published in late 2010ICPDR has observer status
Important for non-EU Members as well
� Different issues relevant for hydromorphology and river basin management addressed (e.g. navigation, hydropower, flood protection, river continuity, wetlands, etc.)
� Strategy fully supports measures agreed in the Danube River Basin Management Plan
Conclusions (1)
� Hydromorphological alterations – Significant Water Management Issue in the Danube basin
� Danube River Basin Management Plan (DRBMP) provides assessment of situation
� Significant share of water bodies (provisionally) designated as HMWB
� Significant share of water bodies not in good status/potential and in need for measures to achieve WFD objectives
Conclusions (2)
� DRBMP contains Joint Programme of Measures -measures address different hydromorphological issues
� Substantial progress in implementation of measures will be achieved by 2015 , follow-up in 2nd and 3rd
WFD implementation cycle
� Important topic integration – ongoing for navigation , launched for hydropower and flood risk management
� EU Danube Strategy considered as policy instrument highly relevant for river basin management
Thank you very much!
For more information please consult the ICPDR website
http://www.icpdr.org
… and the Danube River Basin Management Plan
http://www.icpdr.org/icpdr-pages/river_basin_management.htm