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Interdisciplinary Dialogue on IWT Infrastructure Preparation in the Danube River Basin

This joint statement highlights the need to coordinate and harmonize new inland waterway transport projects with existing environmental and flood protection programs in the Danube River Basin. It outlines key principles and examples of sustainable waterway planning practices.

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Interdisciplinary Dialogue on IWT Infrastructure Preparation in the Danube River Basin

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  1. Interdisciplinary dialogue on IWT infrastructure preparation in the Danube River Basin Philip Weller, ICPDR 2nd Meeting Working Group on Rivers, 2 October, 2009, Brussels

  2. Joint Statement Growing need to coordinate and harmonise new IWT projects with WFD, N2000 and flood protection programmes Stakeholder process (12 basin governments and 22 industry and environmental interest groups) during 3 workshops. Result: New commitment by ICPDR, Danube Commission and Sava Commission (2007)

  3. Key Principlesof the Joint Statement • Integrated planning process from the beginning (environment, water management and transport; • via interdiscipl. teams -> joint planning objectives) • Minimize the impacts of engineering interventions, use non-structural measures • Apply EIAs with public input • Respect the WFD’s river basin management plans 2009 (protect / restore ecology and reduce negative impacts) • Define goals for IWT and the river/floodplain ecological integrity • Use best practise to achieve the required objective.

  4. JS Criteria for river engineering • The designers of technical measures should apply: • Case-by-case approach • Working with nature • Integrated design (hydraulics, morphology and ecology) • Adaptive form of measures • Use of restoration potential • Ensure no worsening of flood water levels JS - Annex: Examples of possible measures

  5. NAIADES: EU Action Programme to promote inland waterway transport in Europe (2006-2013) Platina: a coordination action (8.35 M€) providing targeted NAIADES actions until 2012 within FP7 for Research and Technology Developmt. The Platina consortium is formed by 22 institutions from 9 European countries, incl. via donau (Austria - coordinator), Voies Navigables de France, Bundesverband der Deutschen Binnenschiffahrt, Promotie Binnenvaart Vlaanderen (BE) and the Rijkswaterstaat Centre for Transport and Navigation (NL). 5 work packages addressing the policy areas: Markets, Fleet, Jobs & Skills, Image and Infrastructure.

  6. SWP5.3 Support interdisciplinary dialogue on environmentally sustainable waterway development Lead: ICPDR

  7. Concepts of SWP 5.3 • Objective: Ensure the proper integration of environmental aspects in the development and maintenance of IWT infrastructure. • The BOKU study has analysed the effects of navigation on the Danube hydro-morphology (considering also other pressures) at catchment, reach and local scales. • It includes recommendations for future IWT projects. • The Manual and the training workshops follow up on the Joint Statement and assess good practise examples for sustainable waterway planning.

  8. Key findings of the BOKU study on Danube hydromorphology • Hydromorphology alterations are a result of multiple and often overlapping impacts from navigation, flood protection and hydropower generation. • Navigation infrastructures decrease from the upper to the lower reaches and are more numerous again in the Delta: • The impacts at the Upper and Middle Danube are significant, the impacts at the Lower Danube still small. • For the future there is a likely trend in the opposite direction.

  9. Hydromorphology study: The Danube is seriously altered in its entire length

  10. Hydromorphology study Recommendations • For the planned improvement of navigation: • Along the upper and middle reaches, combine with the needed river restoration • At the Lower Danube, combine with the needed preservation of the morphodynamics and restoration of floodplains • Preserve and/or restore/improve the sediment continuum (i.e. sediment transport) along the Danube and its tributaries across hydropower plants and torrent control (re-) structures • Develop a catchment-wide sediment management concept.

  11. PLATINA Manual on Good Practices in Sustainable Waterway Planning • Basics on river ecology and legal requirements • Explain the Joint Statement and similar planning concepts • Practical steps to approach and achieve integrated planning (from IWT policy planning over expert and stakeholder involvement to post-project monitoring) • Organisational needs – framework conditions • Practical examples – experiences gained in IWT projects

  12. Environmental Impact Assessment(SEA/EIA-D)Nature Impact Assessment (BH-D)WFD assessment - Art. 4 (7) What is needed from IWT projects to meet these requirements?How to achieve an efficient and secure planning result?

  13. Manual: Prepare the practical planning Pre-conditions: Waterway policy Waterway development programme (NAP) Waterway management capacities Specify integrated planning Relevant issues – key stakeholders (local – foreign) Project goals – planning objectives Working rules – operational capacities

  14. Responsibilites and tasks during the integrated planning Steering Committee Supervision, responsibility Government, funding institutions IntegratedPlanning Group Project vision, objectives, other user interests. Planng. principles, interdiscipl. assessment of options/alternatives/scenarios, feasibility Project Team Technical planning (database, calculation & modelling) + EIS Experts for navigation, river engineering, ecology, hydro-morphology, water quality etc. Waterway Agency, consultants Moderation - Mediation

  15. EU and PIANC guidances for integrated planning.Good practise examples of integrated IWT projects (east of Vienna, Thames, Main, Rhine) to illustrate the P & C of the Joint StatementDiscussion of the draft structure of the Platina Manual on good practises in sustainable waterway planningDraft results of the Task 5.3.1 Hy-mo StudySpecific issues & status of a local case: The Sava waterway rehabilitation and development project.Subjects for the 2nd workshop 15-16 Sept. in Ruse. 9-10 June 2009Zagreb Training Workshop

  16. 15-16 Sept. 2009Ruse Training Workshop • How to ease and achieve integrated planning: • Comment the draft Manual (in plenary & small groups) • Example of the new German WFD-oriented waterway development and their guidance for combined EIAs. • Presentation of the 2nd local case (RO/BG ISPA II project).

  17. These plans could conflict with the Water Framework Directive and the Natura 2000 network. New RO/BG ISPA projects (2006-2015) aim at improving navigability (TEN-T) between the Iron Gate and the delta.

  18. Road Map for integrated planning

  19. Road Map II for integrated planning

  20. Next steps in the practical planning – Road Map II Communicate agreed results (e.g. formal adoption, publication)Transfer results into detail planning / submission of EISExecute EIA process incl. public hearings and informationReceive all required permitsAssure fundingStart monitoringExecute (adaptive) worksAssure post-project activities (corrective actions, monitoring).

  21. Applying the Joint Statement and the PLATINA Manual Success or failure of integrated planning will depend on the quality of interdisciplinary planning and the exchange of practical experience with new engineering structures under a comprehensive monitoring programme.

  22. WG on Rivers INTEGRATED IWT PLANNING aims to enable navigation development andsustainable management of rivers to achieve all required environmental objectives. The JS and the PLATINA outputs (hymo study, training and new manual) can support and stimulate the next steps. www.icpdr.org icpdr@unvienna.org

  23. Good practice examples EU-WFD - CIS Guidance on Hydro-morphology 2006: Good practise in managing ecological impacts …– Case Studies. New EUguidances on estuaries and soon on rivers. Rhine (CCR/ICPR): Introduction of new best practice measures to improve the water body structure (side-arms, banks, fairway structures, fish passages etc.). German guidance docs. for coordinated EIA processes in IWT. Ecological re-orientation of federal waterway management. PIANC guidelines (2003-2008: e.g. Working with Nature) USA (US ACE): New structures to reduce or eliminate dredging maintenance requirements. Innovative dredging equipment and processes. etc.

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