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Navigation on the Danube: Finding the right balance

Explore the delicate balance of sustainable navigation on the Danube River, a lifeline for Europe with crucial ecological importance and water resources. Learn about key conservation efforts, potential impacts, and recommendations for preserving this vital waterway.

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Navigation on the Danube: Finding the right balance

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  1. Navigation on the Danube: Finding the right balance Sergey Moroz, WWF

  2. Danube - European lifeline • Most international river basin • 80 million people • 20 million people depend on it for drinking water • 50 protected areas of international importance • 11 RAMSAR sites • 2 UNESCO biosphere reserves & world heritage sites • > 100 fish species, 280 bird species

  3. priority sections for inland navigation (EU TEN-T axis No 18) other navigation projects (supported e.g. by EU EAR, ISPA, Ukrainian government) Free flowing Danube river stretches are at risk by unsustainable IWT development… areas of high ecological value

  4. Implementation of EU legislation • Water Framework Directive • No deterioration clause for all water bodies, also relevant for water dependant protected areas (floodplains, wetlands, delta), tests for new modifications, polluter pays, public participation) • Birds and Habitat Directives • Habitats and species affected • Sturgeons (priority interest) • SEA/EIA directives • Conventions (ESPOO, Transboundary Waters, Black Sea, Biodiversity,..)

  5. Ensuring and improving flood protection • Ensurance of conveyance capacity • Maintenance of hydraulic capacity of all river arms • Preservation of hydro-morphological processes • Local relocation of flood protection dykes • Restoring retention areas • Relocation of dykes and creation of retention basins (polder) • Flood risk management • Control flood risk development

  6. Conservation of sturgeon • Lower Danube provides best remaining habitat for sturgeons in the whole Black Sea region • Sturgeons sensible to hydro-morphological alterations • Specific requirements for spawning habitat

  7. Deficit in sediment balance • Dredging of river sediments over decades far beyond natural transport volume • River bed incision all along free flowing Danube river • Damming of Danube main stream and major tributaries on large sections • Reduction of natural transport volume • Rectification and embankment on large free flowing sections • Prevention of lateral morphodynamics and recharge of sediments

  8. Climate change • Prolongation of low flow periods (most likely also reduction of low flow) • Deteriorating navigation conditions • Increase of water temperatures • Water quality problems, esp. in stagnant waterbodies • Most likely increase in flow dynamics (changes accelerated, higher floods) • Unexpected morphological alterations? • Changes in sediment transport • Less coarse sediment, more suspended solids?

  9. Example of plans on Lower Danube along RO-BG Severe irreversible impact on river ecosystem This cannot be a sustainable development of IWT

  10. Joint Statement WWF • has participated in the development of the Joint Statement • supports the document as agreed • committed to participating in implementation on the basis of the agreed guidelines and procedures

  11. WWF‘s viewpoint on process up to date • Little or no progress with on-going projects • Transparency and participation limited • Base data and intention to properly apply environmental legislation (e.g. WFD) minimal • Poor cooperation of key govt. institutions (e.g. MoTransport, MoEconomy, MoENV) • SEA application missing

  12. Perspectives for IWT from WWF‘s viewpoint • Danube waterway a major European route for IWT but not with one general minimum draught • Future development based on container traffic and better intermodel transport links, new ships • Better integration of govt. bodies

  13. Perspectives for IWT from WWF‘s viewpoint • Development plans are based on • SEA at different levels (river sections, national, international) • EU env. legislation enforced and provides a reliable framework for assessment of impacts • Principle guidelines of JS respected • No one general minimum draught but based on natural features of individual river stretches

  14. Perspectives for IWT from WWF‘s viewpoint • Monitoring: what, how, when, who (involvement of NGOs and other stakeholders) • Transparent process • Be prepared for adaptation to climate change by looking at possible scenarios and alternatives, meanwhile focus on non-structural no-regret measures

  15. Thank you for your attention!

  16. Recommendations • Avoid structural impacts • Non-structural prior to structural measures, whole range to be considered • Keep the ecosystem alive • Maintenance of key ecological functions • Work with natural river structures, not against • (e.g. orientation on planform, islands, pool-riffle-system) • Keep this decision making process open • Measures implemented keep alternative options feasible

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