Hydromorphology in the Danube River Basin...Hydromorphological situation in the Danube River Basin and Joint Programme of Measures (JPM) Integration with other sectors ... Guiding

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

[email protected]

� 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 2015(expected improvements) extracted zoomed map version

HydromorphologicalAlterations


� 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


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


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.


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


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:

Impoundments, water abstractions, hydro-peaking



� 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


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.


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


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

Hydromorphology in the Danube River Basin...Hydromorphological situation in the Danube River Basin and Joint Programme of Measures (JPM) Integration with other sectors ... Guiding

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