Austrian Inland Waterways Management Policy: Framework, Instruments, and Activities

1. Austrian inland waterways management policy Working Group on Rivers Brussels, 19/02/2009

2. Presentation outline • Framework conditions in the field of inland waterways management policy • Relevant inland waterway transport policy instruments at European and national level • Examplary activities for the Austrian inland waterways management policy

3. Natura 2000 network Complex international framework conditions for inland waterways management policy Transport • Community Guidelines for the Development of the Trans-European Transport Network (Decision No 884/2004/EC amending Decision No 1692/96/EC) • NAIADES – European Action Programme for inland waterway transport (COM(2006) 6) • Belgrade Convention regarding the regime of navigation on the Danube River Environment - EU Directives • Water Framework Directive (EU WFD) (2000/60/EC) • Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) • Birds Directive (79/409/EEC) • Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) Directive (2001/42/EC) • Environmental impact assessment (EIA) Directive (85/337/EEC) • Floods Directive (2007/60/EC) Environment - International Conventions • Danube River Protection Convention, Bern Convention, Ramsar Convention, Espoo Convention, World Heritage Convention Environment – Guidance document • Joint Statement on Guiding Principles on the Development of Inland Navigation and Environmental Protection in the Danube River Basin

4. NAIADES and PLATINA - The European frameworkfor the development of inland navigation PLATINA Platform for the implementation of NAIADES between 2008 and 2012, 7th Framework EU project, 22 partners from 9 European countries NAIADES Recommendation of the European Commission for actions on national and community level 2006 – 2013 on 17 January 2006

5. Austrian Action Plan Danube Navigation (NAP) • Austrian implementation strategy of the European NAIADES Action Programme • Comprehensive and dynamic planning and decision-making instrument for the Austrian inland navigation policy until 2015 • Catalogue of measures developed in cooperation with inland ports and the inland navigation sector

6. NAP - Catalogue of measures

7. Waterwayadministration &maintenance Developmentof inland navigation Traffic management via donau – The Austrian instrument for an inland waterways management policy • ... the Austrian national waterway operation and development organisation • ... owned by the Ministry of Transport Innovation and Technology • ... responsible for 351 km of the Danube waterway River Engineering,Flood Protection,Renaturation,Hydrography, etc. DoRIS Operation("River Information Services"),Info Services for Inland Navigation,Lock Operation Business, Policy, TechnologyInformation & Communication

8. River Information Services Telematics Systems and Information Services in order to increase the safety and efficiency of inland waterway transport

9. RIS in Austria - DoRIS Services 2008 • Electronic Navigational ChartsFree of charge for the Austrian Danube (~360 rkm) • Notices to SkippersElectronically published • Tactical Traffic InformationOn board and in control centres (Inland AIS) • Water level informationRelevant gauge values (NTS, Web, AIS, Phone) • Vessel position informationvia web interface for authorized users • Electronic lock diaryfor enhancing locking procedures and reducing waiting times

10. Implementation status of RIS along the Danube(as of October 2008) • Electronic Navigational Charts • Water level information • Tactical traffic information • Electronic Reporting (in prep.) • Notices to skippers • RIS Center • Int. data exchange (pilot) Project is funded by the EuropeanCommission (DG-TREN / TEN-T) • Electronic Navigational Charts • Electronic reporting • Tactical traffic information (test) • Notices to skippers • Hull Database • Electronic Navigational Charts • Calamity abatement support • Water level information (pilot) • Electronic reporting (pilot) • Tactical traffic information • Notices to skippers (pilot) • RIS Center • Int. data exchange (pilot) • Electronic Navigational Charts • Electronic reporting (pilot) • Water level information (pilot) • Tactical Traffic Information (pilot) • Hull Database (pilot) • Notices to Skippers (pilot) • RIS Center • Int. data exchange (pilot) • Electronic Navigational Charts • Water level information • Electronic reporting (pilot) • Tactical traffic information • Notices to Skippers • RIS Center • Hull Database (pilot) • Int. data exchange (pilot) DE UA • Electronic Navigational Charts • VTMIS for maritime Danube • Notices to Skippers (pilot) • Electronic reporting (in prep.) • Tactical traffic information (test) • Electronic Navigational Charts • Notices to Skippers • VTS centers along Danube • Full scale implementation in prep. • VTMIS Danube-Blacksea Canal • Electronic reporting (test) • AIS (maritime Danube) • Int. data exchange (in prep.) • Electronic Navigational Charts • Tactical traffic information (pilot) • Full scale implementation (in prep.) • Electronic Reporting (in prep.) • Notices to skippers • Int. data exchange (in prep.) • Electronic Navigational Charts • Tactical traffic information (test) • Electronic Reporting (in prep.) • Notices to skippers (pilot) • Hull database (in prep.)

11. Integrated River Engineering Project to the East of Vienna Project area: stream-km 1.921,0 - 1.872,7from the Freudenau Power Plant to the Austrian-Slowak border

12. Integrated River Engineering ProjectAims and measures MEASURES Granulometric river bed improvement AIMS Improvement of fairway conditions River bed stability Low water regulation Improvement of ecological functions River bank restoration Side arm reconnection

13. River bank just after the construction work. The river will shape its new river bank for its own. Typical natural river bank after some months/years (depending on hydrological conditions). Picture taken at the already completed river bank restoration section Thurnhafen vis-à-vis Hainburg. River bank before the construction work Pilot Project WitzelsdorfRiver bank restoration

14. new groyne old groyne New groynes are downstream faced for redirecting the current to the river bank > higher dynamics at the river bank. Pilot Project WitzelsdorfReconstruction of low water regulation – innovative groynes

15. Lowernew groyne at the same day / water level. Effective under low water conditions only. Removal of an old groyne – note the height. Pilot Project WitzelsdorfLower but also effective groynes

16. EU Water Framework Directive – Life nature project Wachau • Project objectives • Structuring the main current of the Danube • with gravel embankments and islands • Linking old tributaries to the Danube • Maintenance and management of dry • grasslands and grassy slopes • Improvement of semi-natural forests • Creation of a nature protection coordination body

17. Machland – Nord region after the floodings in summer 2002 Creation of retention areas Resettlement of 70 buildings in the municipalities Au/Strengberg, Wallsee, Ardagger Resettlement of 260 buildings in the municipalitiesMitterkirchen,Baumgarten, Berg, Saxen, St. Nikola, Grein (OÖ) EU Floods Directive: Machland – Nord Europes largest resettlement project

18. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! MR DI Dr. Leo GRILL and MR DI Reinhard Vorderwinkler Bundesministerium Verkehr, Innovation und Technologie - bmvit Department IV/W 3 – Federal Waterways (Grill) Department IV/W 2 – Supreme Navigation Authority (Vorderwinkler) Radetzkystraße 2, A1030 Wien tel +43 1 711 62 - 65 5960 (Grill) tel +43 1 711 62 – 65 5900 (Vorderwinkler) leo.grill@bmvit.gv.at reinhard.vorderwinkler@bmvit.gv.at