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The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

May 22, 2020

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Page 1: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

The Danube River Basin: an overview page 3

Danube environment under threat page 22

Relying on the Danube: sustenance, energy and livelihoods page 16

Floods and flood protection page 18

map

Contact: ICPDR SecretariatVienna International Centre, D0412PO Box 500, 1400 Vienna, AustriaPhone: +43 (1) 26060-5738, Fax: +43 (1) 26060-5895Email: [email protected]: www.icpdr.org

Executive Editor: Benedikt MandlText: Oliver Gascoigne, [email protected]: Büro X Wien, www.buerox.at

Photographs: Milorad Drca, Gerfried Koch, János László, Victor Mello, Mario Romulic, Milan Vogrin and ICPDR PhotosThe ICPDR would like to thank the organisations and photographers for providing the photographs for free.

Disclaimer:The information presented in this brochure is largely based on the Danube River Basin Management Plan (DRBMP) of 2009 and its underlying analysis. All other sources can be given upon request.

Where data has been made available, it has been dealt with and presented to the best of our knowledge. Nevertheless, inconsistences cannot be ruled out.

////////

/ Deu

tschla

nd ///

/ Öste

rreich

//// C

eská re

publika //// Slovensko //// Magyarország //// Slov

enija //// H

rvatska //// Bosna i Hercegovina //// Србија //// Crna Gora //// România /

/// Å˙΄

‡Ëfl //

// Mold

ova ///

/ ì͇

ªÌ‡ ////

/

The Danube River Basin Facts and Figures

//// Deutsch

land //// Österreich //// C

eská republika //// Slovensko //// Magyarország //// Slovenija //// Hrvatska //// Bosna i Hercegovina //// Србија //// Crna Gora //// România ////

Å˙΄‡Ë

fl //// M

oldova

//// ìÍ

‡ªÌ‡ ///////

Page 2: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

The Danube River Basin: an overview page 3

Danube environment under threat page 22

Relying on the Danube: sustenance, energy and livelihoods page 16

Floods and flood protection page 18

map

Contact: ICPDR SecretariatVienna International Centre, D0412PO Box 500, 1400 Vienna, AustriaPhone: +43 (1) 26060-5738, Fax: +43 (1) 26060-5895Email: [email protected]: www.icpdr.org

Executive Editor: Benedikt MandlText: Oliver Gascoigne, [email protected]: Büro X Wien, www.buerox.at

Photographs: Milorad Drca, Gerfried Koch, János László, Victor Mello, Mario Romulic, Milan Vogrin and ICPDR PhotosThe ICPDR would like to thank the organisations and photographers for providing the photographs for free.

Disclaimer:The information presented in this brochure is largely based on the Danube River Basin Management Plan (DRBMP) of 2009 and its underlying analysis. All other sources can be given upon request.

Where data has been made available, it has been dealt with and presented to the best of our knowledge. Nevertheless, inconsistences cannot be ruled out.

///////// Deutschland //// Österreich //// Ceská republika //// Slovensko //// Magyarország //// Slovenija //// Hrvatska //

// Bosn

a i Hercegovina //// Србија //// Crna Gora //// România //// Å˙΄‡Ëfl //// Moldova //// ì͇ªÌ‡ /////

The Danube River Basin Facts and Figures

//// Deutschland //// Österreich //// Ceská republika //// Slove

nsko //

// M

agya

ro

rszág //// Slovenija //// Hrvatska

//// B

osna

i Herc

egovi

na //// Ср

бија //// Crna Gora //// România //// Å˙΄‡Ëfl //// Moldova //// ì͇ªÌ‡ ///////

Page 3: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Tributaries and lakes page 7

Environmental diversity page 10

Socio-economic diversity page 13

Demographic data page 15

The ICPDR:Protecting the Danube River Basin page 20

Addressing the threats page 24

Page 4: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

GermanyFederal Ministry for the Environment,

Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety www.bmu.de/

Responsible Federal States: www.stmug.bayern.de

www.um.baden-wuerttemberg.de

AustriaFederal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry,

Environment and Water Management www.lebensministerium.at/

SloveniaMinistry of the Environment and Spatial Planning

www.mop.gov.si/

CroatiaMinistry of Regional Development,

Forestry and Water Management www.mrrsvg.hr/

Bosnia and HerzegovinaMinistry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations

www.mvteo.gov.ba/

MontenegroMinistry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management www.minpolj.gov.me/

Republic of SerbiaMinistry of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water Management www.minpolj.gov.rs/

BulgariaMinistry of Environment and Water www.moew.government.bg/

MoldovaMinistry of Environment and Natural Resources www.mediu.gov.md/

RomaniaMinistry of Enivironment and Forests www.mmediu.ro/

UkraineMinistry for Environmental Protection (MEP) www.menr.gov.ua/

HungaryMinistry of Rural Development

www.vm.gov.hu/

SlovakiaMinistry of the Environment www.enviro.gov.sk/

Czech RepublicMinistry of the Environment

www.env.cz/

European UnionEuropean Commission, DG Environmentwww.ec.europa.eu/environment/

ViennaBratislava

Main-Donau Kanal

Kanal Dunav-Tisa-Dunav

AdriaticSea

Black Sea

Somes

Donau DunajDuna

Dunav

Dunarea

Ipel'

Nitra

Slan

á

Naab

Lech

Isar

Donau

Répce

Rábca

Ipoly

ZalaSió

Maros

Hármas

Körös

Kettos-Körös

Kupa

Sebes-KörösBere

ttyó

Horto

bágy

-Ber

ettyó

Sajó

Hern

ád

Tisza Szamos

Latorica

Nišava

Una

Sava

Nishava

Bodrog

Zagy

va

Drava

Mura

Sana Bo

sna

Tisa

Tisa

Tysa

Plovni Begej

Tamiš

Timok

Velika MoravaZapadna Morava

Ibar Južna Morava

Ogosta

Iskar Yant

ra

Dunav

Somesul Mic

Somesul MareBarcau

Crisul RepedeCrisul NegruCrisul Alb

Mures

Prut

Siret

Sava

Bega

Timis

Jiu Olt

Vedea

Arges

Ialomita

Buzau

Jijia

Siret

MoldovaBistrita

Trotus

Tarnava

Bârlad

Prut

Inn

Mures

Olt

Drina

KolpaKagul

Kugu

rlui

Tisza-tó

Ialpug

Rába

Canal Dunarea- Marea Neagra

Inn

Mur

Drau

Enns

Salzach

Traun

Raab

Thaya

March

Rabnitz

Sava

Drin

a

Una

Vrba

s

Lim

Morava

Svratka

Dyje

Váh

Hron

Hornád

Laborec

Ljubljana Zagreb

Sarajevo

Sofia

Bucuresti

Chisinau

Beograd

Budapest

Lacu

l Raz

im

Lacu

l Sin

oe

Zmei

ca a

nd G

olov

ita L

ake

Ozar

o La

lpug

Lake

Bal

aton

Neus

iedl

erse

e

Danube River Basin District

Contracting Parties of the ICPDR

Did you know?The Danube River Basin covers

approx. 10 % of Continental Europe.

Page 5: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

GermanyFederal Ministry for the Environment,

Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety www.bmu.de/

Responsible Federal States: www.stmug.bayern.de

www.um.baden-wuerttemberg.de

AustriaFederal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry,

Environment and Water Management www.lebensministerium.at/

SloveniaMinistry of the Environment and Spatial Planning

www.mop.gov.si/

CroatiaMinistry of Regional Development,

Forestry and Water Management www.mrrsvg.hr/

Bosnia and HerzegovinaMinistry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations

www.mvteo.gov.ba/

MontenegroMinistry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management www.minpolj.gov.me/

Republic of SerbiaMinistry of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water Management www.minpolj.gov.rs/

BulgariaMinistry of Environment and Water www.moew.government.bg/

MoldovaMinistry of Environment and Natural Resources www.mediu.gov.md/

RomaniaMinistry of Enivironment and Forests www.mmediu.ro/

UkraineMinistry for Environmental Protection (MEP) www.menr.gov.ua/

HungaryMinistry of Rural Development

www.vm.gov.hu/

SlovakiaMinistry of the Environment www.enviro.gov.sk/

Czech RepublicMinistry of the Environment

www.env.cz/

European UnionEuropean Commission, DG Environmentwww.ec.europa.eu/environment/

ViennaBratislava

Main-Donau Kanal

Kanal Dunav-Tisa-Dunav

AdriaticSea

Black Sea

Somes

Donau DunajDuna

Dunav

Dunarea

Ipel'

Nitra

Slan

á

Naab

Lech

Isar

Donau

Répce

Rábca

Ipoly

ZalaSió

Maros

Hármas

Körös

Kettos-Körös

Kupa

Sebes-KörösBere

ttyó

Horto

bágy

-Ber

ettyó

Sajó

Hern

ád

Tisza Szamos

Latorica

Nišava

Una

Sava

Nishava

Bodrog

Zagy

va

Drava

Mura

Sana Bo

sna

Tisa

Tisa

Tysa

Plovni Begej

Tamiš

Timok

Velika MoravaZapadna Morava

Ibar Južna Morava

Ogosta

Iskar Yant

ra

Dunav

Somesul Mic

Somesul MareBarcau

Crisul RepedeCrisul NegruCrisul Alb

Mures

Prut

Siret

Sava

Bega

Timis

Jiu Olt

Vedea

Arges

Ialomita

Buzau

Jijia

Siret

MoldovaBistrita

Trotus

Tarnava

Bârlad

Prut

Inn

Mures

Olt

Drina

KolpaKagul

Kugu

rlui

Tisza-tó

Ialpug

Rába

Canal Dunarea- Marea Neagra

Inn

Mur

Drau

Enns

Salzach

Traun

Raab

Thaya

March

Rabnitz

Sava

Drin

a

Una

Vrba

s

Lim

Morava

Svratka

Dyje

Váh

Hron

Hornád

Laborec

Ljubljana Zagreb

Sarajevo

Sofia

Bucuresti

Chisinau

Beograd

Budapest

Lacu

l Raz

im

Lacu

l Sin

oe

Zmei

ca a

nd G

olov

ita L

ake

Ozar

o La

lpug

Lake

Bal

aton

Neus

iedl

erse

e

Danube River Basin District

Contracting Parties of the ICPDR

Did you know?The Danube River Basin covers

approx. 10 % of Continental Europe.

Page 6: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

2

Page 7: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

3

The Danube River Basin: an overview

The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of

801,463 km². More than 80 million people from 19 countries share the Danube

catchment area, making it the world’s most international river basin. All countries

comprising over 2,000 km² of the Basin, and also the European Union,

are contracting parties of the International Commission for the Protection of the

Danube River (ICPDR), which is charged with coordinating the con servation,

improvement and rational use of Danube waters.

Based on its gradients, the Danube River Basin can be divided into three sub-regions:

the Upper, Middle and Lower Basins (the latter including the Danube Delta). The Upper

Basin extends from the source of the Danube in Germany to Bratislava in Slovakia.

The Middle Basin is the largest of the three sub-regions, extending from Bratislava to

the dams of the Iron Gate Gorge on the border between Serbia and Romania. The low -

lands, plateaus and mountains of Romania and Bulgaria form the Lower Basin of the

River Danube. Before reaching the Black Sea, the river divides into three main branches,

forming the Danube Delta, which covers an area of about 6,750 km².

Page 8: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Territory in the Danube River Basin (DRB) [km2]

Austria80,423

Germany56,184

Slovakia47,084

Hungary93,030

Montenegro

Serbia81,560

Bulgaria

Ukraine30,520

Romania232,193

Moldova12,834

Czech Republic21,688

47,413

7,075

Slovenia16,422

Croatia34,965

Bosnia and Herzegovina36,636

4

Page 9: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Did you know?The Danube is 2,857 km long and up to 1.5 km wide.

It is the second largest river in Europe – after the Volga (3,535 km).

Share of Danube River Basin in % Topographic data for the Danube Basin countries Percentage of Population in theCountry territory within the DRB [%] DRB [in millions]

Austria 96.1 7.7

Bosnia and Herzegovina 74.9 2.9

Bulgaria 43.0 3.5

Croatia 62.5 3.1

Czech Republic 27.5 2.8

Germany 16.8 9.4

Hungary 100.0 10.0

Moldova 35.6 1.1

Montenegro 51.2 0.2

Romania 97.4 21.7

Serbia 92.3 7.5

Slovak Republic 96.0 5.2

Slovenia 81.0 1.7

Ukraine 5.4 2.7

Austr

ia 10

%

Slovac Republic 5,9%

Serbia 10,2%

Slovenia 2,0%

Ukraine 5,4%

Bosnia

and H

erzeg

ovina

4,6%

Bulgari

a 5,9%

Croatia

4,4%

Hungary 11,6%

Germany 7,0%

Czech Republic 2,9%

Moldova 1,6%

Montenegro 0,9%

others < 0,1%

Roman

ia 29

,0%

Switz

erlan

d 0,2%

5

Page 10: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Tributaries and lakes

The Tisza is the longest tributary of the Danube and the largest by catchment area.

At 966 km in length, it is the second largest by flow after the Sava River.

It drains an area of 157,186 km² in five countries (Slovakia, Ukraine, Hungary,

Romania and Serbia). The second longest river is the Prut (950 km), which is also the

last major tributary of the Danube, with its confluence located just upstream of the

Danube Delta. Further downstream, the Prut forms the border between Romania

and Moldova. The second largest river by catchment area, the Sava is 861 km in length

and has the largest discharge of water to the Danube of any tributary. The Inn is the

third largest of the Danube’s tributaries by discharge, and the seventh longest.

Finally, the fourth largest and fourth longest Danube tributary is the Drava.

Like many of the Danube rivers, the Drava has been considerably regulated with

dams constructed to generate hydroelectricity and channels dredged to direct its flow.

Nevertheless, natural habitats along the middle and lower reaches host unique

assemblages of flora and fauna, as well as several endemic species.

The Danube connects with 27 large and over 300 small tributaries on its way

from the Black Forest to the Black Sea. There are also a large number of lakes in

the Danube Basin.

The main tributaries of the Danube

Naab2,385 rkm

Lech2,497 rkm

Isar2,282 rkm

Inn2,225 rkm

Traun2,125 rkm

Enns2,112 rkm

Confluence with Danube in river kilometre

6

Page 11: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Prut132 rkm

Arges432 rkm

Did you know?A large floodplain area lies at the confluence of the Drava and the Danube rivers,

including territories of Hungary, Croatia and Serbia. They provide favourable living conditions

for over 20,000 birds and 55 different species of fish can be found in this area.

Morava1,103 rkm

Sava1,170 rkm

Drau / Drava1,382 rkm

Sió 1,498 rkm

Timok846 rkm

Iskar636 rkm

Yantra537 rkm

Morava / March1,880 rkm

Vah1,766 rkm

Hron1,716 rkm

Ipel / Ipoly1,708 rkm

Tysa / Tisza / Tisa1,214 rkm

Tamis / Timis1,154 rkm

Ialomita244 rkm

Siret155 rkm

Jiu694 rkm

Olt604 rkm

7

Page 12: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Austria NeusiedlerseeHungary Ferto-tó Romania Lacul Sinoe

Romania Lacul Razim

Hungary Lake Balaton Romania Zmeica and Golovita Lake

The main lakes and water bodies in the Danube Basin District

Surface area 315 km² Surface area 162 km²

Surface area 392 km²

Surface area 605 km² Surface area 162 km²

Average depth 1.10 m Average depth N /A

Average depth N /A

Average depth 3.60 m Average depth N / A

Maximum depth 1.80 m Maximum depth N /A

Maximum depth N /A

Maximum depth 10.60 m Maximum depth N / A

Ukraine Ozero Ialpuh

Surface area 149 km²

Average depth N /A

Maximum depth N /A

8

Page 13: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

9

Did you know?Often affectionately called the “Hungarian Sea” in landlocked Hungary,

Lake Balaton is the largest lake in Central Europe. The Hungarian word “Balaton” derives

from Slavic word “blato”, which means “mud” or “swamp”

Main Danube tributaries Enters the Length Size of catchment Average, dischargeRiver Danube at in km in km² in m³ / s

Danube - 2857 801,463 6,460

Lech Marxheim (near Donauwörth), Germany 254 4,125 115

Naab Regensburg, Germany 191 5,530 49

Isar Near Deggendorf, Germany 283 8,964 174

Inn Passau, Germany 515 26,130 738

Traun Near Linz, Austria 153 4,257 132

Enns Mauthausen, Austria 254 6,185 203

Morava/March Devín, Slovakia 329 26,658 106

Raab/Rába Györ, Hungary 311 10,113 88

Vah Komárno, Slovakia 398 18,296 161

Hron Near Štúrovo, Slovakia 278 5,463 55

Ipel/Ipoly Near Szob, Hungary 197 5,108 22

Sió Near Szekszárd, Hungary 121 9,216 39

Drau/Drava Near Osijek, Croatia 893 41,238 577

Tysa/Tisza/Tisa Near Titel, Serbia 966 157,186 794

Sava Belgrade, Serbia 861 95,719 1,564

Tamis/Timis Near Pancevo, Serbia 359 10,147 47

Morava (RS) Near Smederevo, Serbia 430 37,444 232

Timok Bulgarian-Serbian border 180 4,630 31

Jiu Near Gighera, Romania 339 10,080 86

Iskar Gigen, Pleven Province, Bulgaria 368 8,684 54

Olt Turnu Mugurele, Romania 615 24,050 174

Yantra Svishtov, Bulgaria 285 7,879 47

Arges Oltenita, Romania 350 12,550 71

Ialomita Near Hârt sova, Romania 417 10,350 45

Siret Galati, Romania 559 47,610 240

Prut Near Reni, Ukraine 950 27,540 110

Page 14: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Environmental diversity

Due to its large area and very diverse habitats – gravel islands on the Upper River,

significant areas of forest floodplain, extended wetlands on the Lower River –

the Danube River provides the right living conditions in areas of high landscape- and

biodiversity for a large number of different species. Along its course there are some

230 of the Danube River Basin’s 2,860 Natura 2000 sites, an ecological network of

internationally important protected areas in the territory of the European Union.

Over 2,000 plant species and 5,000 animal species live in or by the waters of the Danube,

a habitat which hosts about 2,000 vascular plants, over 40 mammals, approximately

100 fish species as well as important bird sanctuaries for species such as the Dalmatian

pelican. In addition, among the eight member states participating in the policy to protect

these sanctuaries, Slovenia and Bulgaria have the highest terrestrial rate of Natura 2000

sites coverage in the whole EU. At 6,750 km², the delta of the Danube River is one of

the world’s largest wetlands (and Europe’s largest remaining natural wetland) featuring

rare fauna and flora, as well as 30 different types of ecosystem. Located in the territories

of Romania and Ukraine, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.

10

Page 15: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Did you know? Six of the 26 known species of sturgeon inhabit the Danube. Known for its caviar, the Beluga can

attain lengths of 5 m, weigh up to 1000 kg and age to 100 years, attaining sexual maturity at

20 years or more. The fish is endangered due to a combination of slow growth, low reproductive

rates, over fishing and impediments to migration to their spawning grounds.

11

Page 16: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Development indicators for Danube Basin Countries

GDP Total GDP per capitaCountry in billions of USD population PPP USD

Austria 366.259 8,356,707 39,454

Bosnia and Herzegovina 29.804 4,613,414 7,634

Bulgaria 90.869 7,576,751 12,067

Croatia 78.427 4,489,409 17,707

Czech Republic 258.959 10,674,947 24,832

Germany 2,806.266 81,757,600 34,212

Hungary 185.873 10,005,000 12,926

Republic of Moldova 10.141 3,567,500 2,842

Montenegro 6.439 672,180 10,286

Romania 258.892 21,959,278 12,131

Serbia 43.662 7,306,677 5,898

Slovakia 115.098 5,429,763 16,281

Slovenia 56.755 2,054,199 28,118

Ukraine 302.454 45,888,000 6,650

European Union 14,793.000 501,064,211 29,729

12

Page 17: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Socio-economic diversity

The Danube countries all depend on the Danube waters as an economic resource. Despite

this uniting feature, the Danube Rivers flow through countries with very different

social and economic conditions. For over forty years, Europe was divided into two political

systems by the Iron Curtain. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the countries

of Eastern Europe faced political and economic upheaval, with emerging free-market democ-

racies and the associated impacts of globalisation, privatisation and deregulation.

Simultaneously, industrial and agricultural output collapsed, leading to high unemployment.

More recently, several Eastern European countries have made huge progress, successfully

adapting production to international standards and acceding to the European Union.

The socio-economic data presented in the table left shows how diverse the region is.

There is a wide gulf between the GDP per capita of Austria, Germany and Slovenia and the

other Danube Basin countries: the wealthiest country’s GDP per capita is nearly 14 times

higher than that of the poorest.

In terms of the characteristics of water use, data shows great differences in the

Danube countries. They correspond mainly to the relative im portance of the agricultural

sector. While 9.8% of Ukrainian, 12.4% of Romanian and 21.8% of Moldovan GDP is

generated from agriculture, this share is only 1.7% for Austria, 2.4% for Germany and

2.6% for Czech Republic.

13

Page 18: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Demographic data

European Austria Germany Czech Slovakia Hungary Slovenia Union Republic

Population

Urban population [%]

Population growth rate [%]

Population density / km²

Age structure

15 – 64 [%]

0 – 14 [%]

Country

501,064,211 8,356,707 81,757,600 10,674,947 5,429,763 10,005,000 2,054,199

NA 67 68 74 56 68 48

0.098 0.098 -0.061 -0.106 0.129 -0.156 -0.142

Years 65 + [%]

67.23

15.44

17.33

112

13.7

229

20.3

66.1

71.2

14.2

133

14.6

71.7

15.8

12.5111

69.3

15

108

15.8

69.9

13.5

16.5

102

67.5

14.5

100

18

Demographic data forDanube Basin countries

14

Page 19: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

The population of Europe as a percentage of the world population is rapidly decreasing

and is expected to decline over the next forty years. Populations in the Danube River

Basin are no exception. Most of the Danube Basin countries have begun to experience

negative population growth rates, with only three countries – Austria, Bosnia and

European Austria Germany Czech Slovakia Hungary Slovenia Union Republic

Croatia Bosnia and Montenegro Republic Romania Bulgaria Republic Ukraine Herzegovina of Serbia of Moldova

4,489,409 4,613,414 672,180 7,306,677 21,959,278 7,576,751 3,567,500 45,888,000

57 47 60 52 54 71 42 68

-0.061 0.016 -0.777 -0.469 -0.247 -0.768 -0.072 -0.619

Herzegovina and Slovakia – displaying marginal population growth. As populations

in the Danube Basin shrink and age, this will result in changing social and consumption

patterns that may, in turn, lead to a change in environmental impacts.

67.8

15.3

7916.9

70.1

15.5

74

14.4

70.316

13.7

45

67.8

15.4

16.8

101

69.7

15.5

14.7

90

68.5

13.8

68

17.7

73.3

15.9

105

10.8

70.3

13.8

15.9

78

15

Page 20: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Relying on the Danube: sustenance, energy and livelihoods

The economic value of the Danube River is immense; it is a vital resource for water supply,

sustaining biodiversity, agriculture, industry, fishing, recreation, tourism, power genera-

tion and navigation. A large number of dams, reservoirs, dykes, navigation locks and other

hydraulic structures have been built in the Basin to facilitate many of these important

water uses.

Historically, the Danube and some of its main tributaries, such as the Sava, have formed

important trade routes across Europe for centuries. Historically, the channelization

of the river’s course has made it easier for ships to navigate 2,411 km, or 87%, of the length

of the Danube. As “Corridor VII” of the European Union, the Danube connects the

Black Sea with the industrial centres of Western Europe and with the Port of Rotterdam.

Recent years saw an increasing awareness for the need to balance economic and environ-

mental need in navigation management with special attention to the natural characteristics

of the river. This was reflected in the “Joint Statement on Inland Navigation”, issued by

the ICPDR, Danube Commission and Sava Commission. A similar consultation process is

maintained between the ICPDR and representatives from the hydropower sector.

16

Page 21: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Did you know?A single inland navigation vessel can carry the same volume of goods

as 93 railway wagons or 173 trucks.

Did you know?Hydropower accounts for 30% of national generation capacity in Romania,

which has more than 400 large dams. Around 60% of the annual electricity generation

within the Danube River Basin in Austria originates from hydropower.

Did you know?Owing to its considerable natural gradient,

a total of 59 dams have been built in the upper part of the Danube.

This means that the Upper Danube is interrupted every 16 km on average.

There are over 700 dams and weirs along the main tributaries of the Danube.

As such, very few stretches can still be characterised as free-flowing.

17

Page 22: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

1838

Mar

ch

Icy fl

ood

in B

udap

est.

Dam

age:

10.

100

hous

es,

153

lives

lost

.

1888

spr

ing

Extre

me

flood

s in

Tisz

a va

lley.

Dam

age:

Suc

cess

ful p

rote

ctio

n fro

m d

ykes

.

1890

Maj

or fl

oods

in

the

Uppe

r Da

nube

.

1919

spr

ing

Extre

me

flood

s in

Tisz

a va

lley.

Dam

age:

Suc

cess

ful p

rote

ctio

n fro

m d

ykes

.

1925

Chr

istm

as

Floo

d in

the

Krös

val

ley,

two

dyke

s bu

rst.

21,0

00 h

a flo

oded

, 904

hou

ses

dest

roye

d.

Floods and flood protection

Flooding is the most common natural disaster in Europe and, in terms of economic

damage, the most costly one. There have been 78 significant floods along the Danube

over the last nine centuries; 23 of them took place in the 18th century before extensive

flood protection works were started. Since then significant areas of natural flood -

plains have been lost through drainage for agriculture, city development and flood

protection dykes – 80% in total.

Recent years saw a steepening in the curve of flood frequency, and high-water marks

have set records three times since 2002. Five of the most significant floods have occurred

in the last 10 years. Neglected levies contributed to this damage, along with long

winters and unusually heavy snow and rain. Multi-annual averages for precipitation have

been exceeded by 1.5 to 2.0 times recently, a maximum never before observed since sys-

tematic instrumental weather observations have been available.

The increasing regularity of dangerous hydro-meteorological phenomena is

a cause for concern. Estimation scenarios by the European Environmental Agency

predict that flood damage and the number of people affected by flooding

will rise substantially by 2100 as a result of climate change, with one scenario

estimating a rise in flood damage of some 40% and an increase in the

number of people affected of around 242,000 (about 11%). The EU formalized

flood management in 2007 through the Flood Directive. The ICPDR coordinates

its implementation in the Danube Basin.

18

Page 23: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

1965

Apr

il-Ju

ly

The

bigg

est e

ver s

umm

er fl

ood

of th

e Da

nube

at t

hat t

ime.

Due

to s

igni

fican

t pro

tect

ion

effo

rts a

dis

aste

r was

pre

vent

ed.

11 d

ykes

bur

st in

the

Rába

val

ley.

1970

May

-Jul

y

The

larg

est e

ver T

isza

val

ley fl

oodi

ng a

t tha

t tim

e.

In o

ther

are

as, t

he c

atas

troph

e wa

s pr

even

ted

by p

rote

ctio

n ef

forts

.14

dyk

es b

urst

in th

e Ro

man

ian

sect

ion

of th

e Sz

amos

and

3 in

the

Hung

ary;

57

,000

ha

flood

ed, 5

,400

bui

ldin

gs d

estro

yed;

9,0

00 in

habi

tant

s we

re re

loca

ted

for s

afet

y rea

sons

.

1997

Floo

ding

on

the

Oder

(Pol

and,

Ger

man

y) a

nd M

orav

a/Da

nube

(Cze

ch R

epub

lic, G

erm

any)

.10

5 liv

es lo

st.

1992

Tazla

u Ro

man

ia.

107

lives

lost

.

1998

-200

1

Extre

me

flood

s in

four

sub

sequ

ent y

ears

at t

he Ti

sza.

2002

Reco

rd fl

ood

leve

ls fo

r the

Dan

ube

and

the

Elbe

.20

05

Reco

rd fl

ood

leve

ls fo

r the

Dan

ube.

Rom

ania

: 31

lives

lost

, 55r

oads

clo

sed,

600

brid

ges

wash

ed a

way.

Bu

lgar

ia &

Mol

dova

: 14,

000

peop

le e

vacu

ated

.20

06

Reco

rd fl

ood

leve

ls fo

r the

Dan

ube.

Bulg

aria

: 482

bui

ldin

gs d

estro

yed,

30

0 pe

ople

eva

cuat

ed, 6

,000

live

s en

dang

ered

. Ro

man

ia: 3

00 b

uild

ings

des

troye

d,

16,0

00 p

eopl

e ev

acua

ted,

150

vill

ages

floo

ded.

Se

rbia

: sev

eral

thou

sand

s ev

acua

ted

due

to a

lack

of c

lean

wat

er.

2010

Floo

ds a

t Tis

za

and

Danu

be

sim

ulta

neou

sly.

1954

Maj

or fl

oods

in th

e Up

per D

anub

e.

Mea

sure

s to

man

age

flood

s1.

Impr

ovin

g flo

od fo

reca

sts

and

early

floo

d wa

rnin

g sy

stem

s.

2. S

uppo

rtin

g co

ordi

nate

d su

b-ba

sin-

wide

floo

d ac

tion

plan

s.

3. C

reat

ing

foru

ms

for e

xcha

nge

of e

xper

t kno

wled

ge.

4. P

rom

otin

g a

com

mon

app

roac

h to

ass

ess

flood

-pro

ne a

reas

and

eva

luat

e flo

od ri

sk.

2009

Reco

rd ra

in a

nd fl

ood

leve

ls fo

r the

Dan

ube.

Hung

ary:

198,

000

ha a

ffect

ed.

Rom

ania

: 110

,000

ha

of a

gric

ultu

ral l

and

were

inun

date

d by

wat

er.

19

Page 24: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

The ICPDR: Protecting the Danube River Basin

The Danube countries came together to sign the Danube River Protection Convention

(DRPC) in 1994 and established the International Commission for the Protection

of the Danube River (ICPDR) in 1998 to fulfil the Convention’s objectives. The ICPDR

is made up of 15 contracting parties (Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,

Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania,

Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine and the European Union) committed to implementing

the DRPC; it is a forum for coordination and cooperation on important water manage-

ment issues.

The ICPDR comprises primarily of national delegations that meet twice a year. With

a secretariat based in Vienna, it is chaired by a president who serves for one year,

and the presidency is passed on from one member country to another in alphabetical

order. Much of the work of the ICPDR is done by Expert Groups, panels of

specialists from the ICPDR member countries and 21 official observers.

The ICPDR is also the facilitating platform for implementation of the EU Water

Framework Directive (WFD) and the EU Flood Directive (EFD). Although not all

members of the EU, contracting parties to the ICPDR have committed to meeting the

goals of the WFD, which requires “good status” or “good potential” of all surface

and ground waters by 2015.

Objectives of the Danube River Protection Convention

Ensu

re su

staina

ble an

d equ

itable

water m

anag

emen

t

Contro

l floo

ds an

d ice

haza

rd

DANUBE20

Page 25: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Did you know? The 29th of June each year is Danube Day, an excellent and light-hearted way to engage the Danube

River Basin’s more than 80 million inhabitants in celebrating their rivers and participating in the

development of a sustainable future for the region. Find out more at: www.danubeday.org.

Conse

rve, im

prove

and p

romote

the r

ation

al us

e of s

urfac

e wate

rs an

d grou

nd wate

r

Contro

l the d

ischa

rge of

wastew

aters,

inpu

ts of

nutri

ents

and h

azard

ous s

ubsta

nces

from

point

and n

on-po

int so

urces

Contro

l floo

ds an

d ice

haza

rd

Contro

l haz

ards o

rigina

ting f

rom ac

ciden

ts (w

arning

and p

reven

tive m

easu

res)

Reduc

e poll

ution

load

s to t

he Blac

k Sea

from

sourc

es in

the D

anub

e catc

hmen

t

DANUBE

Page 26: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Danube environment under threat

Human activity has affected the Danube and its network of tributaries negatively in

manifold ways. Industry, agriculture and tourism are all economically important and

depend on the Danube as a resource, yet at the same time they also threaten the Danube

as a biodiversity hotspot. The following subsections provide an overview of some of the

most significant threats to the Danube environment.

Water pollutionThe list of industrial pollutants added by countries as the Danube flows south and east is

long: fertilisers, farm pesticides and manure, as well as discharge from smelters,

paper mills, chemical plants and tanneries. Human activities in the Danube River Basin

are responsible for the high levels of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) discharged into

the water. The main sources of nutrients in the Danube are agriculture (50%), municipal

waste water (25%) and industry (25%). The total nitrogen load in the Danube is between

537,000 and 551,000 tonnes per year and the total phosphorus load is 48,900 tonnes per

year. The legal limit for nutrient content in groundwater is often exceeded throughout

the whole basin, though at least decreasing in recent years. The river is further polluted

by hazar dous substances, such as heavy metals, oil and microbiological pollution.

Increased shipping along the Danube would most likely increase overall pollution,

as will future crises and disasters.

22% (5,494 km) of the length of tributaries

are of good ecological status / potential.

22Crises and disastersA number of crises and disasters have affected the Danube River Basin in recent years.

Some of them have gained worldwide media attention, such as the Baia Mare cyanide

spill in 2000 or the Ajka red sludge spill in 2010. At this recent event, a dam broke at a

Hungarian aluminium plant, releasing some 700,000 m3 of red sludge. 10 people died

and about 1100 hectares of land were affected. The ICPDR has set up the Accident

Emergency Warning System (AEWS) of the Danube River Basin, which is activated

whenever there is a risk of transboundary water pollution. The AEWS sends out

international warning messages to countries downstream to help the authorities put

environmental protection and public safety measures into action.

Loss of wetlands and floodplains Man-made changes to the natural course of the Danube waterways have interrupted river

and habitat continuity and have disconnected wetlands and changed water quantity

and flow conditions. Draining wetlands for agriculture often provides only marginal

farmland while destroying unique wetland habitat while introducing foreign varieties of

trees to floodplain forests and clear cutting in the name of industry eliminates under-

growth and alters the function of the floodplain ecosystem. Building towns and villages

in floodplain areas also leaves them prone to damage from flooding. Species in the

Danube River Basin are also threatened: migratory fish such as the Beluga have lost

access to their spawning grounds due to dams and levies, threatening their existence

in the Danube region. 22

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The ecological and chemical status of Danube Basin Water Bodies

3 of 11 transboundary groundwater

bodies are experiencing significant nitrate

pollution; 8 were found to be of good

chemical status.

27% of the river network do not achieve

good chemical status.

27 33

3 of the 6 major lakes in the

Danube River Basin do not achieve

good ecological status.

56% of the Danube River have been

designated as heavily modified.

Good ecological status cannot be

achieved in these stretches due to

physical alterations.

39% of the Danube and its tributaries

have been designated as heavily

modified. Good ecological status

cannot be achieved in these stretches.

5639

23

Page 28: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Addressing the threats

The ICPDR is an international organisation that acts as a platform to coordinate

responses to various environmental threats. Since 2009, the Danube River Management

Plan (DRBM) provides a roadmap for this. It contains a Joint Programme of Measures

and aims to fulfil the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). The ICPDR also implements

the EU Flood Directive (EFD) and plays a key-role in the EU Danube Strategy.

Pollution ReductionThe contracting parties of the ICPDR have developed best agricultural and industrial

practices. These include the appropriate use of agrochemicals, proper storage of manure,

or effective irrigation. Wastewaters from households are subject to important measures:

wastewater treatment plants are modernised and for years, the ICPDR has worked

towards limiting phosphates in detergents. This was recently taken into consideration for

EU legislation. Ongoing assessments of water quality are done through the TNMN

(Transnational Monitoring Network), which is coordinated by the ICPDR.

Flood ProtectionIn response to the danger of flooding, the ICPDR adopted the Action Programme on

Sustainable Flood Protection in 2004. The goal of this program is to achieve a long-term

and sustainable approach for managing the risks of flooding to protect human life and

property, while encouraging conservation and improvement of water-related ecosystems.

River RestorationThe natural course of the rivers in the Danube River Basin was altered for centuries,

mainly for agriculture, hydropower generation, flood defence, and navigation.

Hydromorphological alterations such as river interruptions, the disconnection of

wetlands, or water abstraction can provoke changes in the natural structure of rivers.

As a response, the ICPDR has started initiatives that include the restoration of river

continuity, the establishment of green corridors, and the construction of fish migration

aids. In addition, the ICPDR engages in an active dialogue with representatives from the

hydropower, flood protection and navigation sector to work towards the restoration of a

natural river morphology.

Public ParticipationTaking views from the public into consideration for water management is vital for

balancing environmental, economic and social needs in the protection of the Danube

River Basin. The WFD requires that countries encourage the active involvement of

interested parties in decision making. Public participation is therefore a key principle

of the ICPDR. On a formal level, observers have the right to participate at all ICPDR

decision-making meetings.

24

Page 29: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

Nutrient pollution: Balanced management so that neither the waters

of the Danube Basin nor the Black Sea are threatened

or affected by eutrophication;

Organic pollution: Zero emissions of untreated waste water

into the basin’s rivers;

Visions of the ICPDR DanubeRiver Basin Management Plan

Hazardous substances: No risk or threat to human health or

the aquatic ecosystem;

Hydromorphological alterations: Balanced management of structural man-made

changes so that the aquatic ecosystem functions

holistically with all native species represented.

Groundwater: Emissions of polluting substances do not cause

any deterioration of groundwater quality.

Water use is appropriately balanced and does not

exceed the available resources.

Further information:http://www.icpdr.org/

http://www.danubeday.org/

http://www.danubebox.org/

http://www.icpdr.org/jds/

Page 30: The Danube River Basin - Wasseraktiv · The Danube River Basin: an overview The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin, with a total area of 801,463 km². More

The Danube River Basin: an overview page 3

Danube environment under threat page 22

Relying on the Danube: sustenance, energy and livelihoods page 16

Floods and flood protection page 18

map

Contact: ICPDR SecretariatVienna International Centre, D0412PO Box 500, 1400 Vienna, AustriaPhone: +43 (1) 26060-5738, Fax: +43 (1) 26060-5895Email: [email protected]: www.icpdr.org

Executive Editor: Benedikt MandlText: Oliver Gascoigne, [email protected]: Büro X Wien, www.buerox.at Coordination: Public Participation EG of the ICPDR

Photographs: Milorad Drca, Gerfried Koch, János László, Victor Mello, Mario Romulic, Milan Vogrin and ICPDR PhotosThe ICPDR would like to thank the organisations and photographers for providing the photographs for free.

Disclaimer:The information presented in this brochure is largely based on the Danube River Basin Management Plan (DRBMP) of 2009 and its underlying analysis. All other sources can be given upon request.

Where data has been made available, it has been dealt with and presented to the best of our knowledge. Nevertheless, inconsistences cannot be ruled out.

////////

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The Danube River Basin Facts and Figures

//// Deutsch

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