SEE River STREAMSustainable Integrated Managementof International River Corridors in SEE Countries

Newsletter No. 2December 2013www.see-river.netJoin Facebook

Each pilot river corridor demands specific, taylor madeapproach

Dear readers,

after entering the second half of the SEE River project, we can conclude that the projectactivities so far were in deed very intense and complex, however also successful: weaccomplished most of the planned tasks in Drava river pilot areas and the five SEE pilotrivers - Soča, Bodrog, Neretva, Prut, and Vjosa. Guided by the goals and targeted endresults on individual pilot areas and rivers, we launched the processes with stakeholdersbased on desk-top analyses and field work by project experts and therefore gained veryvaluable feedback for next steps.

Beside good job done on pilot areas and riv ers, we are also v ery proud that on the 5th EuropeanRiv er Restoration Conference in Vienna, Austria, Septem ber 201 3 , the SEE Riv er project, basedupon inv itation of the organizers, perform ed a v ery successful session with a wide and positiv e

response. By doing this, we got confirm ation of our project approach and m ethods utilized, as well assom e com m ents that prov ided background to upgrade future work.

MORE >

Aleš Bizjak, Institute for Water of the Republic of Slovenia SEE River Project manager

NEW FLOOD STRATEGIES INSESTO/SEXTEN ANDSANCANDIDO/INNICHEN

The focus of the transboundary SEE Riverproject is on the sustainable managementof river corridors. The interdisciplinaryprocess for improvement of the floodprotection scheme initiated in form of the“PRO DRAVA” project in South Tyrol(Italy) will be optimized and will continue.

An analy sis and com parison of the v arious floodprotection solutions for Innichen and Sexten hasbeen com pleted and proposes tangible protectionm easures for the riv er Drav a as well as theSextnerbach and Fischleintalbach stream s. Astudy trip to Sty ria (Austria) prov ided v aluableknow-how to representativ es fromm unicipalities and public authorities as well asland owners and farm ers concerning theim plem entation of m easures.

LOCAL EXPERT WORKSHOP INAUSTRIA REVEALS SUCCESSES ANDFURTHER TASKS

On 8th October 2013 the first localstakeholder workshop was successfullyperformed for the Austrian Drava pilotarea. It was part of the evaluation of themany projects and measures executedalong the Upper Drava over the last 20years. Various experts presented anddiscussed their findings at the Lendorfcommunity centre.

Ov er the last m onths a huge am ount of baselinedata, technical works and m onitoring resultsfrom the Drav a pilot area in Carinthia wereassessed in a GIS database (nam ed DRADA). Infuture, m ore data and results of other projectsfrom the Drav a pilot area can be added easily .

MORE > MORE >

2ND LOCAL WORKSHOP IN SLOVENIA:FIRST FEEDBACK ON DRAFTDEVELOPMENT CONCEPT

Based on outputs of the 1st localstakeholders workshop in June 2013,Slovenian SEE River Drava project teamdeveloped Draft Development Concept forDrava River Corridor pilot area inSlovenia. It was presented on the 2nd localstakeholders workshop where participantsgave first comments and feedback and alsodiscussed future project ideas fordevelopment concept implementation.

Draft Dev elopm ent Concept, accom panied withDraft Drav a Vision 203 0, was prepared onoutputs of the 1 st local stakeholders workshop inJune 201 3 , and additionally on in-depthanaly sis of historical m aps, m aps of floods,protected areas, agriculture, forestry ,hy dropower plants and their im pacts, m ap of

hot-spots and points of interests.

IDENTIFYING DEVELOPMENTPOTENTIALS FOR DRAVA VISION INCROATIA

SEE River project partners in Croatia havefinished the analysis in selected rivercorridor pilot area in Koprivnica-KriževciCounty and organized 1st localstakeholders workshop.

Croatian SEE Riv er project team has finished theanaly sis in selected riv er corridor pilot area inKopriv nica-Križev ci County , including followingtopics: water related resources, natural v alues, ,risk and spatial analy sis, project analy sis,problem s and stakeholders. The m ain expectedresults of the SEE Riv er project in Croatia aredev elopm ent of the Drav a Riv er Vision inCroatia and dev elopm ent of a spatial plan for theDrav a Riv er in pilot area which has the status ofa protected area,Regional Park. Kopriv nica-Križev ci County started the preparations for theregional plan by using the pilot area of the SEERiv er project. Spatial analy sis (using GIS),v arious data and stakeholders opinions will beused for dev eloping guidelines and am ethodology for this plan.

MORE > MORE >

COLLABORATION OF SLOVAKIANPARTNERS - REEVALUATED FOR

INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH KEYSTAKEHOLDERS TO IMPROVE DRAFT

RURAL DEVELOPMENT

On 25 September 2013, meeting of theAdvisory Group of autonomous region ofKosice for regional development inSlovakia reevaluated the main direction ofits work for the next period. In theframework of the SEE River project, theSlovak Hydrometeorological Institute (aproject partner) is contributing in creationof partnerships in the Eastern Slovakiaregion (Bodrog River Corridor pilot site)and in preparation of Bodrog Action Plan.

At the m eeting in Košice relev ant activ ities inthe fram ework of recent and current projectswere discussed e.g. the project Laborec-Uh andrelated projects (ICPDR Bodrog, UNDP Tisa,LIFE+, INTERREG Moses). The SEE Riv er projectcan significantly contribute to the further workin this direction.

NERETVA VISION

Neretva is a river running partly throughFederation of B&H (FB&H) and partlythrough Republika Srpska (RS), twoentities constituting Bosnia andHerzegovina. Thus, water agencies fromboth entities has been recognized as thekey stakeholders for SEE River project.

After the First National workshop in Mostar,Bosnian SEE Riv er project team approached toWater Agency for Adriatic Sea Riv er basinDistrict Mostar (FB&H) and PC Vode SrpskeBijeljina in charge for water m anagem ent inRepublic of Srpska indiv idually . Purpose of them eetings was to explain the project and theprocess, to analy se with them each part of thedraft of the v ision for Neretv a Riv er and toencourage them to giv e their com m ents andcontributions in order to be activ ely inv olv edand included in the process of creating of thecom m on v ision.

MORE > MORE >

PRUT RIVER CORRIDOR, ACHALLENGE FOR EU AND NON-EUMEMBER STATES

The SEE Project gives the opportunity tolaunch a dialogue andto meet to allriparian stakeholders involved in theSustainable Integrated Management of thePrut River Corridor for EU Member State(Romania) and Non-Member States(Republic of Moldova and Ukraine).

On 26th of Septem ber 201 3 , the first nationalm eeting of the SEE Riv er project took place inIasi, Rom ania, at the Prut - Barlad Riv er BasinAdm inistration. This m eeting aim ed to m otiv ate

THE FOUNDATION FOR SOČA RIVER -AN UNIQUE STRUCTURE IN SLOVENIA

Soča Valley Development Centre (PRC) iscurrently running several EU projects,including SEE River, TRAP and Camis,that serve as a platform and a mechanismto develop common vision for Soča Riverand as support to establishment of the firstinstitutionalized stakeholders river basinparticipation body in Slovenia.

The three EU projects SEE Riv er, Trap andCam is are prov iding a platform to establish theFoundation for Soča Riv er. It should becom ean unique structure in Slov enia that could joinall potential stakeholders from different sectors

the network of institutional, adm inistrativ e,operational and local factors inv olv ed inm anagem ent and activ ities related to PrutRiv er, in issues of sustainable and integratedm anagem ent of Prut Riv er corridor onRom anian territory and to identify key issuesand solutions in this regard.

all potential stakeholders from different sectorsand of different interests who agree on one basicelem ent – a com m on v ision for Soča Riv er.

MORE > MORE >

VJOSA RIVER IN ALBANIA - ONE OFTHE MOST PRESERVED RIVERBASINS IN EUROPE

The SEE River project partners meeting inOctober in Albania ended with study visitto Vjosa River corridor in Albania. Itrevealed that Vjosa is a unique river inEurope as it hasn’t been significantlychanged and regulated so far and thatpotential intentions for regulation andwater use are expected to occur.

The study v isit gav e the opportunity to explorethe riv er corridor and the catchm ent areaincluding landscapes, protected areas, naturalsites and historical cities, cultural and historicalheritage in Vlora, Gjirokastra, Tepelena andPerm eti districts.

MORE > MORE PHOTOS >

"FUTURE RIVER MANAGEMENT ISBASED ON NETWORKS ANDPLATFORMS THAT SYNTHESISE AND

SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND BESTPRACTICES"

Interview with Mr. Bart Fokkens,Chairman of ERRC 2013

The 5th European Riv er Restoration Conference(ERRC 201 3 ), held in Septem ber 201 3 inVienna, Austria, gathered 3 00 participantsfrom 3 5 countries to share knowledge,experiences and best practices on riv errestoration and related challenges. Theconference addressed 1 5 them es in 1 2 sessionsand 3 side ev ents that were sum m ed up in keyfindings on which Draft Declaration of the ERRC201 3 is being dev eloped.

Dev elopm ent of Draft Declaration is coordinatedby Mr. Bart Fokkens, Chairm an of ERRC 201 3 .Mr. Fokkens worked for 40 y ears with theMinistry for Water Managem ent in theNetherlands, he was president of the DutchNational Union of Prov incial NatureConserv ation Organizations. And since 2005 heis the Chairm an of the European Centre forRiv er Restoration (ECRR) being the co-organiserof the ERRC201 3 . He was awarded with theRussian Medal “From Understanding to Unity ”in 2007 and in 1 999 to Knight of the 5th degreein the Order of Oranje Nassau in theNetherlands.

READ ALL INTERVIEW >

DAMIR MRDJEN, Water Agency for Adriatic SeaRiver basin, BiH

“ I would like more concreteexamples of cross-sectorcooperation, for which Ipersonally thinks is veryimportant in the planningprocess, and especially at thelocal level. The water users haveto be aware that with the use ofenvironment for their activitythey create the pressure on theriver, toolkit needs to showthat."

COSTETA GABRIELA, Galati Natural Sciences MuseumComplex, Romania

"Considering that meetings willbe held with stakeholders inRomania, Moldova andUkraine, a constructive andtransnational collaborativeapproach within the SEE Riverproject should be encouraged,together with achievement ofcentralization of all existingproblems and opportunities tobe analyzed in a comprehensiveand objective framework."

ZORAN ŠTANTA,Spatial planer at Municipality ofTolmin, Soča River, Slovenia

"My link with Soča River isconnected through my workand also free time as I am big»fan« of the river. Though I amexpecting that EU projects onSoča (including SEE River) willhelp and achieve to develop abody (foundation), which willbe able to recognize differentdesires and needs and co-ordinate those in relation to theriver."

MORE > MORE > MORE >

DR. GÉZA SZABÓ, Pécs University, TourismDepartment, Hungary

ZLATKO MOŠKON, Secretary, Drava DocumentationCentar, Croatia

“There could be a problem withindividual stakeholder meetings-- it has a high chance that theprice of the compromiseachieved by two will have to bepayed by a third stakeholder notbeing present."

"As an association we wereformed ten years ago. Ourassociates, guests and partnersare people to whom we planand create their stay on DravaRiver. We organize workshops,boat trip, educations, etc."

MORE > MORE >

November, 2013LIKE THE PROJECT?JOIN SEE RIVER ONFACEBOOK!

November 15, 2013EU FUNDING SCHEMESARE CRUCIAL FORREGIONALDEVELOPMENT

December 12, 2013MOLDAVIANSTAKEHOLDERS ONPRUT INTERESTED INFURTHERCOOPERATION

SEE Riv er project establishedFacebook profile with thepurpose to bring riv ers and theproject ev en closer to allstakeholders inv olv ed and alsoto all inhabitants, liv ing nearand with riv ers. That’s why wewould like y ou to becom e a partof our experience as well!

More than 80 representativ esof regional dev elopm ent bodiesand other stakeholders fromEastern Slov akia participatedat the conference “The supportof partnerships in the com ingprogram m ing period 201 4-2020” in Košice, Slov akia.

The second nationalstakeholders m eeting of theproject ‘Sustainable IntegratedManagem ent of InternationalRiv er Corridors in SEECountries’ took place on the1 2th of Decem ber 201 3 inChisinau, Republic of Moldov a.

MORE > MORE > MORE >

2013 EVENTS

February 2014:- National workshops on Bodrog Riv er: Slov akia, Hungary and Ukraine- 2nd local stakeholders workshop for Drav a Riv er corridor in Austria

March 2014:- National workshop in Ukraine for Prut Riv er corridor- International stakeholders workshop on Neretv a Riv er- SEE Riv er partners m eeting in Bosnia and Herzegov ina - Neretv a Riv er

April, 2014:- International stakeholders workshop on Soča Riv er

May 2014:- International stakeholders workshop on Bodrog Riv er- SEE Riv er partners m eeting in Rom ania - Prut Riv er

Contact us:

BOARD OF EDITORS: Lucija Marov t (Alianta), Aleš Bizjak (IZVRS), Prim ož Skrt (PRC)

E-MAIL: info@see-riv er.net

LEAD PARTNERInštitut za vode Republike SlovenijeHajdrihova 28c, 1000 Ljubljana, Sloveniawww.izv rs.si

MANAGING PARTNERPosoški razvojni centerTrg svobode 2, 5222 Kobarid, Sloveniawww.prc.si

This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the South East Europe Programme Managing Authority cannotbe held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.