Prepared for Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic for Construction and Operation of

1. DANUBE REGION STRATEGY INTEGRATED UTILIZATION OF NATURAL RESOURCESSynergy examplesbased on Joint Slovak-Hungarian Monitoring Prepared for Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic for Construction and Operation of Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Hydroelectric Power Project Prof. Igor Mucha, Dr.Sc., RNDr. Dalibor Rodák, PhD., RNDr. Zoltán Hlavatý, PhD., RNDr. Ľubomír Banský, PhD. GROUND WATER Consulting, Ltd., Slovak Governmental Plenipotentiary Expert Group

2. The economic situation in the European Union is, at least, not in the pinkWe all need an economic success and visible progress We need fulfillment of objectives of the Establishment of European Union Consolidated version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union Article 9 and 191, PRUDENT AND RATIONAL UTILIZATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES

3. Synergy Examples of prudent and rational utilization of natural resources Based on Common Slovak - Hungarian Monitoring & Specific Danube Conditions with the goal to support integrated projects with macro regional benefits important for the success of the EU Strategy

4. Bratislava – Budapest Danube Water Management There is no Danube stretch without human interventionThe River Danube itself and its surrounding can play the most important role in the Danube Region Strategy, mainly: Navigation improvement,use of hydro-potential, drinking water, water for nature and agriculture, landscape, flood protection, water forsport, recreation, industry,etc. dams

5. Alps Carpathians Mikovini map (1733) and present state of the Danube Since the era of the king Bela the IV, 1235 to 1270, the water management consists, step by step, from straightening of riverbed, excavations, flood protection, navigation measures, riverbank fortification, closure of branches, etc. Inundation had been decimated, river flow velocities doubled, flow rate is the same. It is no more the natural Danube, but still the Danube with valuable nature close habitats. Original floodplain alluvial fan

6. Basic specific integration points:Danube – water – alluvial fan – navigation – energy Highly permeable extensive aquiferThe Danube flows on the top of its fan – flooding dangerThe Danube water infiltrates into the alluvial aquiferHuge groundwater recharge - excellent water qualitySpecific inundation, nature close habitats Flood water level Original inundation present Aquifer; Gravel depth 10 - up to 400 m Permeability 0.001 – 0.01 m/s

7. Main (imperative) objective • Flood protection of large areas behind flood protective dikes and reduction of peek flood discharges downstream Flooded area 1965 in Slovakia Protection measures? 10 km

8. Large infrastructure projects with the perspective of all mutual synergies such as: protection against flood, water transport, use of hydropower, water supply, agriculture, silviculture, hygiene and water born diseases, recreation, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, etc., according to our experience, evaluatein advance environmental impacts and determine, effective and safeguard measures. Financial and social effect should not be neglected.Some examples:

9. Cross section Gabčíkovo stretch Main Synergies: Flood protection Navigation Water supply Energy Nature protection - Care of biotops Agriculture Forestry . . . . . . . Waterworks Samorin Protected Inundation Flood protection dikes

10. The Danube Floodplain supplied with flowing water is protected areaFlowing water means better self purification processes

11. NATURA 2000 sites (Birds, Habitats) on the Slovak area Excellent wintering and breading conditions for waterfowl Lesson: Most of heavy modified and artificial water bodies and attached areas are protected

12. Joint Monitoring – Ground Water Regimelong-term ground water level decrease Bratislava result Sap Komarno

13. Example of previous long term Ground Water Level Decrease Bratislava Cunovo reservoir Komarno Sap

14. Increase of ground water level after filling the through-flowing reservoir with water Bratislava Cunovo reservoir Komarno Sap

15. Ground Water Level Contour Lines (2000 m3/s)change of flow direction 1992 1993 Rusovce Cunovo reservoir Komarno Sap

16. Joint Monitoring – Ground Water Qualityresult —> change of chemical composition 18 mg/l Rusovce 30 mg/l

17. Station, River km Time of Culmination (day, hour) Max. Water level Hmax (cm) Max. Flow Qmax (m3s-1) Difference from previous station (m3s-1) Bratislava-Devín, 1879, 78 16.8., 1-2 948 10390 - Bratislava, 1868,75 16.8., 2-4 991 10310 80 Medveďov, 1806,30 17.8., 3-6 852 9240 Gabčíkovo 1070 Komárno, 1767,80 17.-18.8., 22-1 842 8940 300 Budapest 20.8. 8250 690 + X Difference Devín - Budapest 2140 + X Example of Culmination of water levels and flow rates during the flood event in AUGUST 2002 X– flow rate of the Danube confluents between Devin and Budapest, approximately 300 – 400 m3/s. Peak flow in Budapest was lower by app. 2500 m3/s than the peak flow in Bratislava

18. Peek Flood Water Storage inside of aquifer was estimated to 580 m3/s in this area Increase of GW level 48 hours after flood culmination in August 2002 Legend GWL difference in m

19. Example of present navigation obstaclesbetween Bratislava and Budapest No obstacles between Bratislava and Sap Navigation on the Danube in 2003 examples of bottleneck durationin days (Danube Commission) Name of the stretch, rkm, Depth (dm), Duration (days, %) Venek* N 1799 11 - 25 162 44,4 Nyerges* SK-HU N 1735 13 - 25175 47,9 Ebed* N 1730 17 - 25 124 34,0 Dorog* N 1722 16 - 22 141 38,6 Helemba* N 1711 15 - 25 149 40,8 Domos N 1699 14 - 25 166 45,5 Vac N 1680 13 - 25 174 47,7 God HU N 1667 13 - 25173 47,4 Budapest N 1652 13 - 25 173 47,4 Ercsi 1616 14 - 25 166 45,5 Solt 1558 14 - 25 172 47,1 *Joint Slovak-Hungarian stretch; N– Nagymaros hydropower stretch

20. Proposal example New water streamnew eupotamal Interconnection of main arms, conditions for preservation various waterformations (river arms of all types, lakes, inundation pools, water holes etc). All between the Water supply from by-pass protective canal and/or from the Old dikes. Danube. Crossing the old river bed by the new water stream at several places. Various hydrological conditions. Revival of the arm mouths, interconnection of arms, etc.

21. Objectives – Benefits – Impacts Community – Nature resources ? Integration Synergy ? Integration of the Community environmental policy with the sustainable development and prudent and rational utilization of natural resources, using available scientific and technical data, monitoring, regional conditions, and proper transposition of WFD in conformity with the European Community Policy TTT Project

22. Slovak Republic is offering, as an input into the Danube Region the TTT Project, which will contribute to following objectives of the European Union The TTT project: Creates conditions for all kinds of connectivity, lies in the middle of the Danube Region, and almost in the middle of the EU Creates conditions for exploration and construction of waterworks sites for piping and use of high quality potable groundwater in the extremely large quantities over large EU territory Expects to improve navigation in the Danube in the section Hainburg - Bratislava, hydraulically connecting the Danube Navigation Project East of Vienna with the Hydropower plant Gabcikovo Allows the use of the Danube hydro-potential, approximately 600 GWh per year. Allows protection of the groundwater quality issues at Bratislava.

23. The TTT project: Solves definitively the flood protection at Devin (from Hainburg to Bratislava) and at the mouth of the River Morava. Allows navigability connection between the Danube and the Morava River, and improves the navigation security in this section Preserves the Morava River in present state, and into the bargain, allows navigation from the Danube to the TTT project via navigation channel. Ensures the flood protection downstream the river Morava from the TTT project area, down to the River Danube, using water management of the River Moravia and the shipping channel. Offers hydraulic possibility to solve environmental problems in the protected areas in the lowland of Záhorská nizina, negatively affected after the World War II. Supports protection and care of the ecosystems of the protected areas, or minimize the previous and present adverse impacts.

24. The TTT project: Strongly supports the economy, trade, and jobs Strongly supports the infrastructure of the territory and small SME projects, including housing Strongly supports the knowledge society, knowledge-based organizations, educations, etc. Supports multi culturaldevelopment Creates opportunities to construct reverse pumping storage power station to support storage of wind and solar energy In many aspects, supports measures tocombat climate change (use of hydro-potential, transfer of road transport to rail and water, reducing traffic in light of the TTT project position in the middle of Region and the EU), and by various environmental protection measures.

25. Results of Joint Slovak – Hungarian Environmental Monitoring, are described in this anniversary publication. Monitoring is dealing with environmental conditions and processes already influenced by hydraulic structures and water management. Scientific research and interpretation of relations among water management and responds of the surrounding environment will help to prepare quantitative and qualitative prognoses based on previous long term development (causal relations) and further comprehensive modeling of various processes.

26. We are looking for close cooperation on the prudent rational utilization of natural resources in the Danube region Thank you for attention For more information, publications, documents see: WWW . GABCIKOVO . GOV . SK / DOC / Publications: 1995 1999 1999 2003 2004 2006 GROUND WATER Consulting, Ltd., Kolískova 1, Bratislava 4, SLOVAKIA